Throwing away your CDs or DVDs?

What happens when a CD or DVD gets ruined or out dated?  Do you throw it in the garbage? Do you recycle it along with your everyday recyclable items?  I wanted to share a few facts, ideas, and solutions to this dilemma.

Billions of CDs and DVDs are made weekly and every month 10,000 pounds of CDs become obsolete  useless, or unwanted.  There is not a lot of uses for disk when they are no longer used besides throwing them in the garbage or throwing in your curbside recycling bins, which do not get recycled and end up in the landfills anyway.  CDs and DVDs are a #7 plastic and if not processed correctly increase waste, harm the environment, and cause us to use more natural resources for the ever demanding supply of more.


Picture provided by CD Recycle Center of America

What happens when a CD or DVD is recycled properly.
The disks are ground down to a gravel like powder that is then used in many ways, including CD and DVD cases, automotive industry parts, office equipment's, alarm boxes and panels, electrical cable insulation, and more.
You can see how recycling can help cut back on natural resources used like oil.

What if you no longer need or use a good Disk?
You can trade with friends, donate to your school or library, donate movies to local shelter, or trade in game and movie stores.  There are lots of options that can give your no longer wanted disk a new life.

What if your disk has some scratches or skipping?
Revive you disk with a mild abrasive like toothpaste.  On the non label side of disk lightly rub toothpaste in a circular motion from the center out.  This is great for minor scratches.

For those that are seriously scratched, either use in recycle project or send to a CD and DVD recycling center.  
You can start a school project!  Make a set location for students, families, and teacher to bring in their unwanted and used CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and HDs.  You can then mail in to the CD Recycling Center of America.  If you have a small amount you can just mail or ship your disk to a location closest to you.

There are many fun ways you can help save the planet and our natural resources.  Simple steps to recycle and reuse can help.  I am not going to stop using CDs and DVDs, I am too connected to the modern error, but I can do my part by no longer throwing away these reusable items.

Help us today, start a recycling CD and DVD project at you School, Library, Church, and/or Community.