Unwanted CDs, DVDs and records can be donated to charity shops or sold on sites like Zapper and Ziffit. Some Recycling Centres accept these items but this service does vary across the country. It's best to check with your local authority.
Place CD and DVD cases (no discs) in your yellow lidded recycling bin.
The types of plastic used to create DVDs and CDs are easily recyclable by specific recycling centers. However, as only certain recycling centres are able to handle the plastic materials used, you should check with your local curbside recycling program first before disposing of DVD and CD cases in your waste bins.
Service Options. Additional information: Customers can take up to 5 items from computer systems, including desktops, laptops, computer mice, monitors, printers, scanners, multifunction printers, keyboards, computer power supplies, printed circuit boards, motherboards, network cards, disks and CD drives.
CDs and DVDs, as well as their cases, cannot be recycled. But if they are in a good condition they could be reused by taking them to a charity shop or to some recycling banks.
Donate your old CD, DVDs and tapes to a secondhand store or music reseller for reuse. Even if the items are scratched, it's likely they can be repaired and resold. This obviously won't be an option if you're getting rid of blank or burned CDs and VHS tapes. Use them for a DIY art project.
Store discs upright (book style) in plastic cases specified for CDs and DVDs. Return discs to storage cases immediately after use. Leave discs in their packaging (or cases) to minimize the effects of environmental changes.
Over time, CDs can release Bisphenol A (BPA), which can cause health implications in humans. Burning CDs releases toxic fumes into the air we breathe, and they require a special recycling process that isn't accepted in single-stream recycling bins.
These discs should be put into your household waste for disposal.
CDs and DVDs, as well as their cases, cannot be recycled. But if they are in a good condition they could be reused by taking them to a charity shop or to some recycling banks. A number of companies can also be found online that buy CDs and DVDs that you send to them.
Books, comics, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets can be placed in your recycling bin. Please ensure book spines and plastic covers are removed. Excess recycling can be dropped off free at a Recycling Drop Off Centre.
Give your old DVDs to your local library
Many libraries still maintain collections of DVDs, especially for children's programmes and movies, and they are often happy to expand their selection.
Reasons to Keep Your Old DVDs
When you purchase a digital version of a movie, you are only licensing the content. You do not own it. Film collectors often like to have hard copies of their purchases. Also, some older movies or rare films are difficult to find in digital.
How much are used DVDs worth? Most used DVDs sell from $2 to $20, and on average for $5. But box sets and collections will be more expensive. Resale sites offer $0.50 - $2.00 per DVD on average.
The disc should be stored in its case and placed vertically, like a book, on a shelf. Long-term horizontal storage, particularly in a heated environment, can cause the disc to become permanently bowed.
If you've got a lot of DVDs (or if you just want to keep them out of the way), a DVD cabinet or storage box is a great option. Cabinets come in all sorts of different styles, from simple and functional to more elaborate and decorative pieces. Just make sure you choose one that's big enough to store all of your DVDs!
Put DVDs into photo boxes or shoeboxes.
Store these boxes in your closet, under your bed, or in storage units. Before you buy several boxes, ensure that the DVDs or sleeves will fit into them. You may need to buy media storage boxes.
Out-of-use CD products are officially recognized as electronic waste, and can only be responsibly recycled in facilities that process e-waste like printers, computers, phones, etc.
The main difference between CD and DVD is storage format where the CD is an audio storage format while DVD is a universal storage format. Besides that, additional differences are storage capacity, playback ability, and double-side recording available just on DVDs.
Your city or county curbside recycling program should be able to direct you to a recycling location near you to drop off your old discs. If there are no local recycling centers, companies like Greendisk, TerraCycle, or CD Recycling Center will accept your unwanted disks and recycle them through their mail-in program.
You can compost household waste like paper, which is what encyclopedias pages are made of. Rip the pages into smaller pieces. Soaking them in some water before composting will accelerate the biodegradation process. You'll be left with the hardback, which we recommend simply throwing in the trash can.
You can find many Australian companies that recycle e-waste such as VHS tapes. By searching through Planet Ark's Business Recycling page, you can find many drop-off and pickup locations for both your VHS videos and audio cassette tapes, to be recycled.