Don’t Throw Away Your Videotapes
Technology has moved us from cassette tapes and DVDs to digital video streaming in just a few decades. But while today’s teenager may not know what a VHS cassette is, many of us who lived from 1977 to the advent of DVD in 1997 may still have old VHS cassettes lying around and taking up space. If you’re ready to get rid of them but don’t want to fill up the trash can (and later the dump) with your closet full of bulky equipment, here are some things to consider.
You shouldn’t throw them away.
The VHS cassette body is made of plastic, but the inside is a magnetic stripe covered in a material called mylar, which is toxic when left to decompose in landfills. Because you can’t – or at least shouldn’t – throw them away thoughtlessly, VHS tapes are just another form of techno junk that needs special attention. And you can’t just throw them away with your bottles and cans.
Video tapes are not recyclable
Since the magnetic stripe cannot be recovered, VHS tapes are recycled differently. Recycling company Green Disk will take your VHS tapes and other technical junk to recycle as needed. As explained in their FAQs: “Material that has no further life is broken down into tiny components (metals, plastics, etc.) and used in new products.”
They also offer technical bins of varying sizes and costs for individuals and businesses to safely dispose of outdated technology without worrying about whether or not they are disposing of their trash properly. Green Disk promises that “almost 100% of the material that GreenDisk collects is reused or recycled,” so you can feel better knowing your favorite movie isn’t becoming a toxic fertilizer.
Your VHS cassettes are probably not worth the money
There is controversy over whether VHS tapes are worth a lot of money. Unfortunately, there is not much evidence or experience regarding the value of obsolete tapes. Like everything else, there might be someone paying for it, but your Disney movie cabinet isn’t likely to be worth a fortune. One cassette can be found on eBay for $ 1,200 , and a collection of similar films can be purchased for $ 29.99 .
However, if you want to give it a try, you can post your old feeds on eBay, Amazon, Facebook, or anywhere else you might try to sell your old stuff. If you’re lucky, collectors may show interest, but keep in mind that even rare items must be in good condition: As Investopedia notes, “The price of a particular collectible usually depends on how many of these items are also available. as his general condition ”. If your cassettes are in good condition and still in their original box, you can make some money by sending them to a nice home.
You can use VHS cassettes for other purposes
If the ribbon has a special place in your heart, you can leave it: the shells can be turned into coffee tables and shelves, or the ribbon can be woven into bracelets and hats. The Mental Floss website has a list of creative ideas for using VHS cassettes, from pom poms to USB port. Artist Jasmine Murrell even turns them into abstract installations . You may not play your VHS cassette anymore, but if you want to get creative, you can turn it into something else.