Can You Recycle CD and DVD Cases?
Growing up has been fun for many of us. The memories that accompanied childhood when we saw classic movies and listened to soul-lifting music are what we still find ecstatic these days. For many of us, this explains why we have many CD and DVD cases at home or in our offices.
But then, they are now beginning to get too much and boring. So you are wondering what to do with them. And you are wondering if recycling is an option.
Well, if you face this issue, you have no more worries. In this post, we will tell you if you can recycle CD and DVD cases.
Dive in!
Are CD and DVD Cases Recyclable?
Being a great fan of classic movies and music means that you have a lot of CD and DVD cases stacked somewhere in your home or office. The thing about this is that they are almost redundant after some time. And without any valuable use in the home again.
Besides, in this current technological age, you can easily catch up with them on YouTube or any other online channel that makes classic visual and audio arts available.
Now that you are tired of them, you are wondering what you should do with them? And, for some moments, recycling them is becoming an option.
Well, if you have genuinely been considering this, here is the good news.
YES, you can recycle them. Your CD and DVD cases are not entirely useless. Even though they come classified as type 6 plastic material, you can still recycle them. Many recycling centers collect them and make them into new plastics.
So, relax, you don’t need to contribute to environmental pollution. You can always recycle your CD and DVD cases.
Can I Put DVD Cases in the Recycle Bin?
Although CD and DVD cases are recyclable, you SHOULDN’T put them in the recycle bin. The reason for this is quite simple.
CD and DVD cases come in plastic materials. The CD and DVD plastic materials are #6 plastic materials. This is also referred to as polystyrene material.
The thing about this is that they are recyclable, but not all recycling centers accept them for recycling. So, if you put them in the recycle bin, it might be a problem for your local recyclable collectors.
What you should do instead is to confirm with your local recycling center whether it accepts CD and DVD cases for recycling. If it does, then you are free to package the CD and DVD cases and put them in the recycle bin for the recyclable collector.
How Do I Dispose of Old CDs and DVDs?
Disposing of CD and DVD cases may look very easy to you. You may wonder, isn’t it to toss them in the bin and forget about them?
Well, there is more to it than you think. The thing is, if you don’t dispose of them properly, they may be another cause of harm to the environment.
While dealing with CD and DVD cases, always remember that they are plastic materials. Improperly disposing of them means that they would end up in the wrong place and harm the environment.
Now, how do you properly dispose of them? First, you must get yourself a small paper bag or polythene bag to put your CD and DVD cases in.
Once you put the CD and DVD cases in and the bad is almost filled up, you can then tie the bag before placing it in the disposable bin.
Since you are unsure if your recycling community will receive the CD and DVD cases, the right thing to do is to confirm with your local recycling center if it accepts them. You can ask for a free pick up of your bagged CD and DVD cases if it does.
So, begin to gather your CD and DVD cases now. You can save the environment from the toxic it releases by disposing of it properly. You can also save some money by offering to recycle it and get paid. The choice is yours.
Is Throwing Away DVD & CD Cases Bad for the Environment?
The first thing you should know is that throwing things away has a high chance of harming the environment. The problem is that we are not sure of the biodegradable rate of the things we have thrown out. So, it is always great to hold on to things before throwing them away.
Now to the question at hand, will throwing away CD and DVD cases be bad for the environment? Well, the CD and DVD are plastic materials. The thing with them is that the plastic materials are #6, meaning that they are very strong.
So, if you throw them away, they only end up littering the landfills. And yes, this is a major cause of pollution which is bad for the environment.
Also, there is the case of leaching. Usually, due to constant heat, such plastics will wash off and find their way into the soil and water bodies. Unfortunately, these plastics contain substances and chemicals that are dangerous to the body and the environment. For instance, plastics are major contaminants of aquatic bodies.
Why Should You Avoid Throwing Away Your CDs & DVDs?
There is much reason why you should avoid throwing away your CD and DVD cases. One prominent one is that you can always find creative ways to reuse them. So why would you want to throw your resources away when you may still need them.
If you don’t know how to apply them to creative uses, relax! We will get to this soon.
Another reason not to throw away your CD and DVD cases is that they are plastic materials. In fact, this plastic material is rated number six, which means they are very strong. The implication of this is simple. If you throw them away, you are doing more harm to the environment.
For one, plastic materials take hundreds of years to break down. Again, they may end up littering landfills since they are not degradable.
Then, if there is flooding, the flood may wash them into the waterways. Where this happens, and the CD and DVD cases find their way to the sea, they can harm the aquatic life there. This is contributing to environmental pollution and degradation.
So, the bottom line is to avoid throwing away your CD and DVD cases. It does more harm than good if you throw them away.
How to Reduce Your DVD Case Waste? (Ways To Reuse)
In today’s world, you must continually think of ways to reduce waste to its barest minimum, especially those that are not biodegradable.
While reducing CD and DVD cases means buying the ones you need only, that is not all. There are various other options you can maximize. And we will tell you all about it.
1. Recycling
Well, that is all we have been talking about so far. You can always recycle your CD and DVD waste. Through this, they do not end up in landfills.
Instead, they end up as raw materials to make new products. We must say the advantages of these are numerous. Not only does it protect the environment from pollution, but it also reduces the consumption of exhaustible natural resources.
However, before dropping it off for recycling, ensure your local recycling center accepts CD and DVD cases for recycling.
2. Upcycle
Indeed, nothing lasts forever. It is also true that nothing becomes entirely useless. Even if it has lost its primary purpose, you can always use it for something else. The same thing goes for making use of old CD and DVD cases in your homes, schools, and offices.
So, to reduce waste, one thing to do is turn those supposed waste into useful materials. So, are you wondering what your options are? Here you go.
3. Photo Album
You can use rectangular CD and DVD cases to make photo albums. All you have to do is get some pictures that can fit in. Then, once you do, place them into the cases.
Also, most CD and DVD cases are transparent. As such, you can always put two different photos in one rectangular case. However, ensure they are facing opposite directions.
The next thing is to get a small rod that you can fasten them on, probably with an adhesive. To make it more beautiful, you can use as much as four cases on a rod.
4. Coloring Cases
You can use your CD and DVD cases to make coloring cases for your kids. If you don’t want your kids to lose their color crayons the first week, you buy them. You are welcome to separate the color crayons.
You can keep some and put the rest in the CD and DVD cases. However, ensure you block the case so that the color crayons do not fall off when you put them in it.
5. Bagel Container
Of course, you can find a suitable container for your bagel snacks with your CD and DVD cases. This time, however, you only must make use of the round CD and DVD cases.
You can place one on your office desk or in your car. Do not worry; it is a good idea. In fact, using the CD or DVD cases will protect your bagels from getting crumpled and preserve their round and superb shape.
6. CD Case and Calendar
You might work a lot on your desks, and you need to always keep up with dates. Well, you can use your old CD and DVD case to make a calendar case for your desk.
All you need to do is get a piece of the calendar’s face you want to use. Then, ensure it is the same size as the rectangular CD and DVD case. Finally, put the calendar on the CD or DVD case and place it on your work desk.
7. Rainfall Shower Head
If you recently encountered shower head problems, you don’t have to worry yourself to death if you have a DVD or CD case.
What you must do is make little holes in the CD and DVD case. Get a water-resistant adhesive and use it to hold the perforated CD and DVD case to the showerhead.
Then, ensure it is strong enough to resist the force of the water before you turn that shower on. Afterward, you are good to go.
Conclusion
No doubt, your CD and DVD cases hold so many memories. And while it’s cool to want to enjoy that blast from the past, it should not be at the detriment of your environment. Well, that is why you need to consider recycling. Even more, you can decide to upcycle your CD and DVD cases.
We have told you great options. So, get to them and have fun.
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