Disposing of VHS and other videotapes: Here’s how you do it
In a world where everything is being digitalised, VHS tapes have become outdated technology. From the 1970s until the beginning of the 2000s VHS tapes were very popular, as they gave people the opportunity to watch films and series at home. Later on, they were used to make home video recordings. Everyone was then able to capture and relive special memories such as family Christmases, weddings, and birthdays.
Nowadays, VHS tapes are not easy to access anymore. You need a video recorder to play them, and not many people still have one at home. Instead, we now mostly use digital files. Digital files do not take up much space and are better for the environment. But what to do with old VHS tapes, which are still collecting dust in the attic?
Luckily, there are ways to get rid of them without harming the environment. We will guide you through your options.
Digitise VHS tapes
Before you dispose VHS tapes, it is important to decide whether you want to keep the videos that are on the tapes. The tapes often contain nostalgic memories, and it is therefore usually worth retaining the videos rather than tossing them. By converting your VHS tapes to digital, you can easily store and watch your videos. Disposing of VHS tapes without digitizing them first is irreversible, which means you could never get back those memories.
You can digitise your VHS tapes yourself, or you can let professionals do the work for you. Digitising VHS tapes yourself is possible, but it takes time and is not always easy. Some of the tools you need are hard to find, for example, a video recorder. These are not being produced anymore and are therefore rare and expensive nowadays. Moreover, by digitising videos yourself, the quality of the results can be disappointing.
So why not let our experts here at MEDIAFIX handle converting VHS to digital? You will save time and stress and will end up with better-quality videos. MEDIAFIX also offers the opportunity to dispose of VHS tapes after digitising them. Killing two birds with one stone!
Sell or donate your VHS tapes
Instead of tossing old tapes, some are worth selling or donating. Although VHS tapes might seem outdated, there are still enthusiasts out there who collect them. Some old films were only produced on VHS tapes and are seen as collector’s items. You could try selling commercial tapes with films or television shows online or at a flea market. On eBay, via Facebook groups and Facebook Marketplace, lots of VHS tapes are being sold.
You can also try donating them to stores such as library services, local charities, vintage shops, or old record stores. You might want to give them a call to ask if they accept VHS tapes before you stop by. Or you donate them to creative artists. There are many creatives out there who use old tapes to upcycle them and give them a new purpose. Think about turning them into a bag, a jewellery box, or wall art. You could also give it a shot yourself. On Pinterest, you can find many ideas to upcycle VHS tapes. If you are planning to do this yourself, it is smart to remove the magnetic tapes. This prevents you from exposure to chemicals.
VHS Recycling
If you choose not to sell or donate your old tapes, please do not just dispose of your VHS tapes by tossing them in the trash. VHS tapes are made of plastic and magnetic materials, which do not break down easily and can harm the environment. To protect our surroundings it is better to recycle video tapes and reuse the materials.
But where to recycle VHS tapes?
Here’s the catch with VHS recycling: It is not as easy as it sounds to find a facility that can recycle VHS tapes. Some recycling facilities do not accept VHS tapes. However, there are still many places in the UK where you can drop off your tapes. You just have to put some effort into finding these places.
Search for local e-waste recyclers or recycling centres. Via tools such as Eart911 Recycling Search or the recycling collection tool of the government, you can find a place nearby. Before driving there, you might want to check if they accept your type of VHS tape. Often, recycling centres also charge a small fee.
If you want to be 100% sure that no one will see your recordings, consider rendering your old video cassettes unusable before disposing of them. You can do this by simply cutting the tape with scissors or using a strong magnet to manipulate the recordings.
Bottom line
We outlined several options for what to do with old VHS tapes. Depending on the content of your tapes, you can decide what suits you best. If you want to save old memories and choose to digitise your tapes before tossing them, MEDIAFIX can be a great option. We digitise your media with great care and an eye for detail. By disposing of them in an environmentally friendly manner, CO2 emissions with return shipment are avoided. Moreover, you save time and effort in finding a place to recycle them.
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If you need help with the digitisation of your VHS tapes, feel free to contact us via e-mail or phone at 020 3904438-0
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