For me, moving boxes of old tapes again to a new house a couple years ago gave me the motivation I needed to finally digitize and recycle VHS tapes of my own that were sitting around. Because video tapes do contain quite a bit of recyclable plastic, they shouldn’t just be tossed in a landfill. However, most recycling centers will not accept the tapes as is. You can ship them to a company that will recycle them for you, but that can get very pricey.
Since video tapes are not hard to take apart, I recommend setting aside the recyclable parts and throwing away only what can’t be recycled. This is not only a greener option for the planet but also more cost-effective for you.
Steps to recycle VHS tapes and cases
Step 1: Verify quality of digitized files
After conversion of VHS tapes to digital (DVD or flash drive), always check to make sure your memories transferred without any problems. The last thing you want is to discover there was an error with a file after the original tape is gone!
Also it’s a good idea to make backup copies of your files or DVDs. This is especially important when it comes to DVDs, which are more vulnerable to viewing issues down the road.
Step 2: Separate plastic pieces
Separate the non-recyclable tape and metal pieces from the plastic pieces that can be recycled. Five simple screws are all that hold the tape together. So simply use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove each screw. Over a garbage container, separate the top of the tape from the bottom and allow the spools and loose pieces inside to drop into the garbage. Remove the rest of the pieces inside the tape until the plastic shell is all that remains.
Step 3: Set aside recyclable parts
Put the three remaining plastic pieces together in a container for recycling, as well as the case if it’s plastic. If you have a lot of tapes, it will really add up! If the case is made of paper chipboard, you can set it aside in a separate pile to recycle with like materials such as cereal boxes.
Step 4: Find your local recycling center
Websites such as earth911.com can help you find the recycling center closest to you that accepts the plastic parts of VHS tapes you can recycle. Click “Where to Recycle” at the top, then search for “plastic” and type in your zip code.
Step 5: Dispose at recycling center
Check with the recycling center to make sure, but the plastic pieces can likely be dumped together with plastics #3 through #7. The non-plastic cases can be thrown in with chipboard.
Why recycle the plastic parts of tapes?
The encasement makes up a substantial amount of the tape, which is recyclable polypropylene (#5) plastic. There’s no shortage of demand for recycled polypropylene because people unnecessarily throw so much of it away. It takes about 20-30 years for this type of plastic to fully decompose in a landfill. While that is much less time than some other plastics, the environmental benefits of recycling #5 plastic are no less significant due to the sheer number of products made from this plastic and the small percentage being recycled.
Is there any reason to think twice about disposing VHS tapes?
Both VCRs and VHS tapes are no longer manufactured. DVRs replaced VCRs years ago as a better way to record broadcast TV, home videos are now recorded to cards, and movies via streaming or DVD dominated the VHS format long before its demise. Also there are no metals of any value in the tape, plus just a few tapes can take up a lot of storage space. The only real value anymore comes from the home movies they may contain, which can usually be converted to a modern media format. This leaves really no reason anymore to hang on to them.
What about other video tapes?
You can recycle other obsolete video tape formats using a similar process. For example, you can separate the encasement of an 8 mm tape from the rest of the tape for recycling just like a VHS tape. Just be aware the screws are much smaller, so you will need a different size screwdriver. You can also include the cases of 8 mm tapes with the rest of the plastic pieces when preparing for recycling.
There you go! Not only will you enjoy preserved memories and more storage room, but you’ll also have the satisfaction of disposing the tapes in an environmentally-friendly way.
