What to do with old tapes (2024)

FAQs

Should I throw away my old cassette tapes? ›

Recycle Them

Audio tapes contain metals that shouldn't sit in a landfill, so you don't just want to toss them in the trash. If you're unsure how to properly dispose of your audio cassettes, check with your local waste management office or recycling center.

RECYCLE YOUR VHS TAPES

Tapes are made of plastic which will never degrade in a landfill and the magnetic tape strip coating on the film leaves behind toxic residue. You'll need to find E-waste recycling companies that can take these tapes and break them down to their component parts and sell them.

We recommend recycling your old VHS video tapes by taking them to a charity shop, or selling them online. Or take to any household waste recycling centre for no charge.

Many thrift stores will happily accept old cassette tapes. It's a special way to offer a second life to your music collection and can bring joy to someone else seeking out the iconic media of the past.

Drop off old VHS tapes to a Goodwill, Salvation Army or St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop. Donating unwanted items like these tapes extends their lifespans.

Collectors who come across sealed VHS tapes usually send them to be graded by companies like CGC Home Video™ to protect their condition. Grading also affords some VHS tapes a premium price at auction. In fact, many sealed and graded VHS tapes have demanded five or six figures in recent auctions!

Recycling. Many recycling centers accept VHS tapes for recycling. The plastic shells can be melted down and reused to make new products, while the magnetic tape can be recycled for its metal content.

To donate cassette tapes, we suggest you reach out to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift stores, which frequently welcome media donations.

The value of cassette tapes varies based on the popularity of the band, the age, and whether or not the music was professionally recorded. Cassette tapes from popular bands are, predictably, more marketable than others. If you've got some Bowie or Def Leppard, you may be in luck!

Do charities take cassette tapes? ›

Some charity shops might take cassette tapes but many will not. If you are unable to find any other way to reuse them, cassette tapes will have to go in the general waste.

Finally, if recycling VHS tapes or donating are not feasible options, they can be thrown away as garbage. However, because VHS tapes are considered electronic waste, be sure to check with your local waste management facility for any special precautions you need to take before disposing of your tapes.

While there are several DIY methods to destroy the data contained on the tape reel, the safest method is to use a degausser machine. The degaussing process utilizes powerful magnetic fields to disrupt the magnetic particles on the tape reel.

So, while most VHS tapes aren't valuable, there's still a market for certain tapes—especially among collectors and enthusiasts. If you have rare or in-demand tapes, you could make a decent sale.

Whether your cassette tapes are worth some cash relies on a few factors. This media is no longer mass produced, so chances are, your cassette tapes are collectible! If you're a collector of vintage technology, you'll definitely want some cassette tapes, in addition to your vinyl.

You don't have to have rare demos or impossible-to-find collectibles to make money off your cassette tapes. While first pressings or tapes that are still sealed typically command the highest resale value, you can still make a pretty decent buck even if they are opened.

In perfect circ*mstances, cassette tapes will only last about 30 years if properly stored away from heat, humidity, and UV rays. Whereas a CD stored in the same conditions can last over 100 years. Two common factors for cassette tape deterioration are heat and tape recorder malfunctions.