# Can I recycle old compact discs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 24, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656 "2003-01-24T17:49:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![foxfiregrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3da27b/32.png) [@foxfiregrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxfiregrrl)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/1 "2003-01-24T17:49:04Z")
I have some CDs that I need to get rid of. I don’t want to just throw them away. Can I recycle them? Do you have any suggestions of what I might do with them? ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/2 "2003-01-24T19:09:14Z")
Goodwill stores and pawn shops. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/3 "2003-01-24T19:11:40Z")
Don’t know about recycling, but I have seen plastic sleeves, similar to the ones in a CD wallet, except these are 8X8 or so, and you can put your CDs in there hang 'em on the wall and use them for wallpaper! Now if you can just figure out what to do with the jewel cases… ---
**Author:** ![mazzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mazzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazzer)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/4 "2003-01-24T19:20:25Z")
Talk to your local library. If they are in decent shape, they might want them. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/5 "2003-01-24T19:26:57Z")
In the case of truly useless disks, like AOL memberships, I use them in the shower as a shaving mirror. They’re free, a good size, shiny, and unbreakable if you drop them. As for potentially useful disks, I’d drop them off at the nearest Salvation Army or similar thrift store/charity. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/6 "2003-01-24T21:40:25Z")
If you have a garden, you can also suspend them with string, and the flashing and motion will keep birds away. They also make great coasters. You can also put a candle through the hole and keep the wax from dripping on your hand at candle-light vigils. Use them to make a colorful mobile for a baby, or something shiny for your cat to swat at. ---
**Author:** ![msgotrocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8edcca/32.png) [@msgotrocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msgotrocks)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/7 "2003-01-24T22:26:51Z")
CD’s are recyclable. It just hasn’t really caught on yet. Usually you have to mail the CD’s to the recycling company. Do a Google search to find a company that suits you. Here’s one I found: [http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/recycle/cdrecycle.htm](http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/recycle/cdrecycle.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/8 "2003-01-24T22:32:18Z")
EBAY EBAY EBAY. What you’ll toss out some people will pay obscene amounts of money for. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/9 "2003-01-24T22:43:02Z")
Duct tape them all over your body for a Halloween costume. Use the reflective surface to blind your enemies. Finally, one word: “Pull!” ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/10 "2003-01-25T00:44:48Z")
Greendisk (they have a website) recycles floppies, CDs, videotapes, typewriter ribbons (!), Zip Disks, and the assorted jewel cases that all these wonderful things come in. Be advised that they handle bulk, and they charge a minimum per pound fee. If you know enough people with the second album by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, this might be practical. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![foxfiregrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3da27b/32.png) [@foxfiregrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxfiregrrl)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/11 "2003-01-25T01:12:52Z")
Thanks, guys! My problem is that I stupidly kept all my CDs in one of those books things, and got rid of the jewel cases, so I can’t really sell them or give them to the library. I’m thinking that I’m either going to check out some of these recycling companies, or just have a big box of old CDs for general coaster/candle holder/mirror/shooting target uses. Thanks for your halp. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-recycle-old-compact-discs/150656/12 "2003-01-25T01:16:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*In the case of truly useless disks, like AOL memberships, I use them in the shower as a shaving mirror. They’re free, a good size, shiny, and unbreakable if you drop them. > > As for potentially useful disks, I’d drop them off at the nearest Salvation Army or similar thrift store/charity. \*\* Even truly worthless disks … I’ve seen AOL disks sold at Salvation Army and Goodwill stores, usually for $5 to $10. Thrift stores are usually clueless regarding technology; witness the $300 IBM ATs and $50 analog brick cell phones you’ll see there.