Recycling old DV Tapes (trash recycle!) at DVinfo.net

Tim Polster · September 30th, 2008, 08:08 AM

Does anubody know what I can do with my mountain of used mini-DV tapes?

I would rather not throw them away, but can not find any recycle place that lists tapes.

Thanks

Philip Gioja · September 30th, 2008, 11:14 AM

I've never even considered throwing mine away. I have every tape I've ever shot in storage. I'm planning on keeping them pretty much forever.

David Heath · September 30th, 2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Polster

Does anubody know what I can do with my mountain of used mini-DV tapes?

I would rather not throw them away, but can not find any recycle place that lists tapes.

In the UK there's CVA as one example (a google search throws up others) and this gives some of the detail behind the recycling - The Science Of Video Tape Recycling - Creative Video Associates (CVA) - for recycling, used and new video tape .

Generally, they are MORE reliable than new, the evaluation process discards any with faults, and the ones that pass have been positively evaluated as good.

Tim Polster · October 1st, 2008, 11:47 AM

Thanks for the link.

Are there any places in the US that would take the tapes for recycling?

I don't need them back, just trying not to put them into a landfill.

Dave Blackhurst · October 1st, 2008, 01:09 PM

sell 'em on eBay... run a bulk tape erase if there's any incriminating stuff <wink>, otherwise "one pass" recorded tapes still bring decent $$. A buck to a buck and a half per tape last time I was some listed.

Petra Alsbach · October 10th, 2008, 04:23 PM

Do you use a tape for one shoot, or do you re use? If re use, how many times seems to be average?

Thanks.

Edward Phillips · June 30th, 2009, 09:33 AM

Just wanted to refresh this thread and see if anyone knows of a place to take tapes to be recycled in the US? I'd rather not see my mountain of now obsolete VHS tapes end up in a landfill.

Bill Davis · July 5th, 2009, 02:15 AM

Not an actual reply with useful information - but I applaud your spirit.

I did an article for Videomaker years back about fun tape facts and one of them was that at the peak of VHS production - enough VHS tape was manufactured wordwide in one year (1999?) to reach from the earth to the moon and back something like six and a half times.

Yikes!

Chris Davis · August 12th, 2009, 08:01 AM

You can donate them to GreenDisk. The tapes will be degaussed and provided to local police and other civic and governmental organizations for use in surveillance systems.

If you're looking for a place that will take your video tapes and recycle them into plastic bottles and playground equipment - you would be more ecologically friendly to throw them in the trash. Recycling a complex multi-material product like a video tape is cost prohibitive and consumes far more energy and resources than simply making them from new materials.

September 30th, 2008, 08:08 AM	#1
Tim Polster Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 2,231	Recycling old DV Tapes (trash recycle!) Does anubody know what I can do with my mountain of used mini-DV tapes? I would rather not throw them away, but can not find any recycle place that lists tapes. Thanks

October 10th, 2008, 04:23 PM	#6
Petra Alsbach Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 28	newbie question Do you use a tape for one shoot, or do you re use? If re use, how many times seems to be average? Thanks.

September 30th, 2008, 11:14 AM	#2
Philip Gioja Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Piper City, IL Posts: 350	I've never even considered throwing mine away. I have every tape I've ever shot in storage. I'm planning on keeping them pretty much forever.

October 1st, 2008, 11:47 AM	#4
Tim Polster Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 2,231	Thanks for the link. Are there any places in the US that would take the tapes for recycling? I don't need them back, just trying not to put them into a landfill.

October 1st, 2008, 01:09 PM	#5
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	sell 'em on eBay... run a bulk tape erase if there's any incriminating stuff <wink>, otherwise "one pass" recorded tapes still bring decent $$. A buck to a buck and a half per tape last time I was some listed.

June 30th, 2009, 09:33 AM	#7
Edward Phillips Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 118	Just wanted to refresh this thread and see if anyone knows of a place to take tapes to be recycled in the US? I'd rather not see my mountain of now obsolete VHS tapes end up in a landfill.

July 5th, 2009, 02:15 AM	#8
Bill Davis Trustee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Posts: 1,538	Not an actual reply with useful information - but I applaud your spirit. I did an article for Videomaker years back about fun tape facts and one of them was that at the peak of VHS production - enough VHS tape was manufactured wordwide in one year (1999?) to reach from the earth to the moon and back something like six and a half times. Yikes!

August 12th, 2009, 08:01 AM	#9
Chris Davis Trustee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Willmar, MN Posts: 1,400	You can donate them to GreenDisk. The tapes will be degaussed and provided to local police and other civic and governmental organizations for use in surveillance systems. If you're looking for a place that will take your video tapes and recycle them into plastic bottles and playground equipment - you would be more ecologically friendly to throw them in the trash. Recycling a complex multi-material product like a video tape is cost prohibitive and consumes far more energy and resources than simply making them from new materials.