Have a box of old VHS tapes and no idea what to do with them? The bad news is recycling VHS tapes isn’t as simple as throwing them in the recycling bin. The good news is there are some simple solutions (paid and free) to recycle VHS tapes depending on where you live in the UK. Whatever you choose it’s a good idea to avoid the regular dustbin as VHS tapes contain hazardous materials that can sit in landfills for decades. With that in mind, here’s my short guide on how to recycle VHS tapes in an eco-friendly way that won’t harm the environment.
1. Why Recycle Your VHS Tapes?
VHS tapes contain non-biodegradable plastics and metals that take hundreds of years to decompose. Recycling your VHS tapes keeps them out of landfills and prevents toxic substances from being released into the soil. This protects the local ecosystem and stops harmful gases from being released into the air.
2. Before You Recycle Your VHS Tapes
Before you recycle those VHS tapes, make sure you’re not throwing out any precious memories. You can use a service like ours to convert your old VHS to a digital format. Don’t worry, we’ll only charge you for the home videos you want to keep, not old episodes of EastEnders! Alternatively, you can follow our simple guide to transfer your VHS from home.
If you’re risk averse, you may also prefer to delete any private or sensitive material from your VHS tapes before throwing them out. There are a couple of things you can do before recycling your VHS. Running them through the VCR on record will work, but it’s slow and time-consuming. You might instead purchase a ‘degausser machine’ on Ebay. This emits a magnetic field that will disrupt the magnetic particles on the tape, erasing the content in seconds.
3. Where To Recycle VHS Tapes
Option 1: Your Local Council
To know where to recycle your VHS tapes, you need to do a quick search on the government website. Here’s how to in 3 simple steps:
1. Go to https://www.gov.uk/recycling-collections
2. Enter your postcode and click on your Borough.
3. You’ll see an alphabetical list of what you can recycle. Scroll down to ‘V’ for ‘Video Tapes’ .
Here you’ll either be able to book a collection or see if there’s a local centre that will re-cycle your VHS tapes.
Option 2: Private Organisations
If you don’t have a local council service that will recycle VHS tapes, there are some other options to consider. Your local charity shop may accept donations. Alternatively, there are private organisations that will accept your VHS donations. At the time of writing this blog, organisations including Tip Top Media, The Butterfly Garden and Terracycle are accepting your video tapes.
4. Alternatives to Recycling VHS Tapes
SELLING
There’s always a small chance your VHS tape is of value. An easy way to check is with Ebay. Go to their website, click on settings and tick the ‘completed’ and ‘sold’ boxes. Now search for the VHS tape you have. You’ll now see listed any VHS like yours that have been sold and at what price. Now you can consider listing yours at the same price!
UPCYCLING
For the creatively minded, here’s a list of ideas for repurposing your VHS tapes into useful items around the house. https://www.wikihow.com/Repurpose-Old-VHS-Tapes
ARTISTS
If you’re not creatively minded, you might consider finding someone who is. You might find a seller on Etsy who sells up-cycled creations and would pay you good money for your VHS tapes.
CONCLUSION
To recycle VHS tapes, the local council should be your first step. VHS tapes contain a mix of different materials that require their own recycling processes. Council services will ensure they are appropriately disposed of so as not to release microplastics and toxic substances into the ecosystem. If your local council isn’t offering this service, there are several private organisations that will accept your tapes. You might also consider upcycling your old VHS tapes instead of disposing of them.
