Forum Topic

VHS video tapes

Does anyone have any ideas about disposal of old VHS video tapes? Charity shops won't take them anymore, as they are seen as an obsolete format. I'm reluctant to dispose of them in the general rubbish as they will end up in landfill, and it seems they are next to impossible to recyle.

David Sharp ● 2632d10 Comments

I think that they might be more likely to be incinerated than buried. Anyhow, and surprisingly, some videotapes do sell on Ebay.uk. In last two months, 21,000 sold out of 100,000 listed.https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/VHS-Films/309/bn_198273?rt=nc&LH_Complete=1&LH_PrefLoc=1&LH_Sold=1

David Ainsworth ● 2632d

It's a real bore, but the only way I've found is Ebay. Some have sold and others I'm just leaving on there. No charities want them, and unless you want to get arty and make furniture out of them (I've seen a few examples online!) it's Ebay. Same with cassette tapes - surprisingly box sets of opera's and concerto's sell REALLY quickly on Ebay!

Victoria Diamond ● 2632d

This is the first positive info I've seen on the disposal of videos and cassettes for years!  Thank you.There are people still using them because all the changes and new tech is too much to learn.  As soon as you get used to something it has changed again.  The trouble is they are often not on websites like this so we don't hear about them.There was a website called Preloved that used to have some.  There was also a market for children's ones for longer.  I guess until the player stopped working.  (A slice of jammy toast used to fit in nicely!)

Philippa Bond ● 2631d

Strip out the tape content and recycle the plastic 'box' at recycling centre under heavy plastic

Andy Pike ● 2631d

Thanks for these suggestions. I thought I was the only person with shelves of VHS cassettes from decades ago, and had been considering posting with the same query myself. As Philppa says, some of us get overtaken by technical changes and can't be bothered (or able) to get to grips with the new. For instance, I've never done Ebay and can't imagine I shall. And most of my recordings are bits of TV programmes which interested me way back when, so no one would want them. But thanks for the suggestions. At least I feel I'm not the only one!

Elizabeth Balsom ● 2631d

"And most of my recordings are bits of TV programmes which interested me way back when, so no one would want them."There are people who may be interested:-http://www.curiousbritishtelly.co.uk/2019/01/the-cult-of-digging-through-old-video.html

David Ainsworth ● 2631d

And also, in case anybody is interested, large collections of colour slides turn up at boot fairs, and sometimes/often people do buy them (I do not know whether the prices are good or not, as I have staunchly refused to get into this area of mania. Bibliomania is quite enough for me). I do know that there are people who sell slides, either individual slides or in groups, on Ebay. Slides of Hong Kong from the 1960s were quite surprisingly expensive a year or two ago, I noticed. And as for Vinyl ...

David Ainsworth ● 2631d

It was good when Ebay had listings for Wanted items as well items being offered.  There are obviously knacks for listing.  You can sometimes get other people to sell for you eg some charities have online Ebay shops.  I believe you can also sell snd give a percentage to charity.  Haven't done any for years though.Re home recordings:  Don't forget that there are often missing episodes of some classic TV programmes...  Every so often some of these turn up...!

Philippa Bond ● 2631d

Maybe a lot too early for videos!https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lost_television_broadcasts_in_the_United_Kingdom

Philippa Bond ● 2630d

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll try ebay. Sadly I don't have any "lost" television programmes, but if anyone thinks they have I suggest they contact the television curators at the National Film and Television Archive, part of the British Film Institute, for their annual "Missing Believed Wiped" events.

David Sharp ● 2625d