From the 'tuff stuff to recycle' desk... CDs and VHS Tapes

All those VHS tapes you're tossing now you've got a DVD player can actually be recycled (with some effort), along with all other types of magnetic storage media, including computer diskettes, Beta tapes (if you'll admit you have them!), audio cassettes, CDs, CD-ROMs and DVDs.

There are different "levels" of recycling. Prerecorded tapes, and other tapes in good condition, can be bulk erased and resold; if the tape itself is damaged, but not the shell, the old tape can be removed and replaced with erased or virgin tape; or the tape can be removed and the plastic shell recycled into other plastic products.

Lacerta Group (Boston, MA) de-manufactures CD-type media, and, along with the tape media, recovers components for reuse, or for grinding for use in other applications. Some of the materials they are currently recovering include polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and ABS. (Note: they do not accept from the general public).

GreenDisk, (Redmond, WA) accepts used CDs, computer disks and videotapes for reuse and recycling at their recycling plant in Columbia, MO. GreenDisk encourages the public to collect and ship to them. See www.GreenDisk.com or phone 1-425-883-9165 for instructions. They also accept pagers and PDAs (like Palm Pilots), which are recycled for their components.

Recycling these items is not free. In addition to paying to ship them to the recycling plants, some companies charge a fee (~$.10/lb) to accept the materials.

These companies also sell reused and remanufactured CDs, computer disks and videotapes, so you can close the loop by buying your supplies from them.

(Source: WasteWatch, March 2003)

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