How to Properly Dispose of VHS Tapes
VHS tapes often cost money to recycle—so you can’t just throw them into the recycling bin and forget about them.
What’s the best way for you to get rid of the piles of VHS tapes that have sat on your entertainment center since the early 2000s? Knowing how to properly dispose of VHS tapes can help you make plenty of space in your home.
Find a Recycling Center
Many environmentalists have recognized the need for easily accessible recycling centers for outdated technology, especially VHS tapes, since they contain toxic Mylar and #5 plastic that doesn’t degrade easily.
Consider visiting your nearest recycling center and dropping off your tapes—make sure to check the location’s website to ensure they take VHS tapes, as some may not. While you’re on the website, check the price that it’ll cost to recycle the tapes; you may want to compare prices with other recycling centers.
Sell or Donate the Tapes
Whether your tapes have famous movies on them or home videos, they still have some value. Collectors love VHS tapes that are still in good condition and may give you some money for them. Alternatively, you can sell the tapes to a secondhand or used media store for some pocket change if they aren’t valuable to collectors. Make sure that they still work before you sell them!
Blank tapes are also useful, even if the technology is obsolete. Some people love the aesthetic of old VHS tapes and use them for recording their own movies and videos. If you have home videos or old TV recordings, use a video tape conversion service to back them up digitally before wiping them clean.
Once you’ve backed them up, you can either buy a bulk VHS eraser or record over them with blank footage to protect your privacy. Bring them to a secondhand store, donate them, or sell them online to get them out of your house. An additional alternative is to use DiJiFi for the responsible disposal of your video tapes. Email DiJiFi at info@dijifi.com or call at 646-519-2447.
After you’ve gone through with your preferred method for properly disposing of VHS tapes, you’ll make space in your home and have easier access to family memories. Trust in the video experts at DiJiFi to smooth out the transition to digital and prepare to relive the moments on those tapes with the people you love the most.