<\/p>\n
So, if you can\u2019t give them away or sell them, can VHS tapes be recycled?<\/p>\n
In short, no, they can\u2019t. Not really. But why? And is there anything else you can do with them rather than just throwing them away?<\/p>\n
![\"Guys](\"https:\/\/www.video2dvdtransfers.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Guys-with-VHS-Tapes-1024x716.jpg\")
<\/center><\/p>\nWhy are VHS Tapes Difficult to Recycle?<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe reason you can\u2019t just pop VHS tapes in the plastic recycling along with bottles and punnets is that they are composed of too many different components. Significantly, the tape itself is made from mylar (polyethylene terephthalate), a plastic which is coated with chromium, iron oxide and other metals.<\/p>\n
This makes the tape hazardous waste, which is not dangerous so long as it doesn\u2019t break down. However, if they get dumped in a landfill, those metals will eventually leach out and potentially contaminate the surrounding water and soil.<\/p>\n
What Else Can You Do with Old VHS Tapes?<\/strong><\/h2>\nSo, if they can\u2019t be recycled, and they shouldn\u2019t just be chucked away, what else can you do with them?<\/p>\n
\n- Sell\/donate them<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Most charity shops no longer take VHS tapes, but it\u2019s worth asking around and seeing if anywhere will. If you have blank tapes or tapes of films, stick them on eBay or sites like Freegle and see if an avid collector will take them, or even artists looking to create something with VHS components.<\/p>\n
\n- Search for recycling organisations<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
While recycling centres may not take them, you should try doing a local search to see if you have an organisation near you that will. Some independent companies will accept non-recyclable items like VHS tapes to try and salvage useful components. Companies like GreenDisk<\/a> allow you to send your VHS tapes to them, where they will recover reusable components and recycle the rest.<\/p>\n\n- Upcycle them<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you can\u2019t recycle them, try upcycling. Upcycling is similar to recycling, but rather than breaking something down into its raw components, you instead use it to create something new, putting it to good use.<\/p>\n
Upcycling VHS Tapes<\/strong><\/h2>\nHere are some of the incredible things you could create with old VHS tapes:<\/p>\n
\n- Furniture<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Check out this fantastic cabinet that has been constructed almost entirely out of VHS tapes. Ironically, it\u2019s being used to house the VHS tape\u2019s successor: DVDs. With those wheels on the bottom and a stylish glass top, it\u2019s certainly a piece that would fit perfectly into a home that thrives on nostalgia.<\/p>\n
<\/center><\/p>\n
So, if they can\u2019t be recycled, and they shouldn\u2019t just be chucked away, what else can you do with them?<\/p>\n
- \n
- Sell\/donate them<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Most charity shops no longer take VHS tapes, but it\u2019s worth asking around and seeing if anywhere will. If you have blank tapes or tapes of films, stick them on eBay or sites like Freegle and see if an avid collector will take them, or even artists looking to create something with VHS components.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Search for recycling organisations<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
While recycling centres may not take them, you should try doing a local search to see if you have an organisation near you that will. Some independent companies will accept non-recyclable items like VHS tapes to try and salvage useful components. Companies like GreenDisk<\/a> allow you to send your VHS tapes to them, where they will recover reusable components and recycle the rest.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Upcycle them<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you can\u2019t recycle them, try upcycling. Upcycling is similar to recycling, but rather than breaking something down into its raw components, you instead use it to create something new, putting it to good use.<\/p>\n
Upcycling VHS Tapes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Here are some of the incredible things you could create with old VHS tapes:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Furniture<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Check out this fantastic cabinet that has been constructed almost entirely out of VHS tapes. Ironically, it\u2019s being used to house the VHS tape\u2019s successor: DVDs. With those wheels on the bottom and a stylish glass top, it\u2019s certainly a piece that would fit perfectly into a home that thrives on nostalgia.<\/p>\n
<\/center><\/p>\n
- Furniture<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Upcycle them<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Search for recycling organisations<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n