Why Playing Discs Again Is Greener Than New
Donating your CDs, DVDs and games helps the planet because a disc that plays again means one less made new. Its plastic, metal and case stay in use instead of going to landfill. Recycling a disc is better than binning it, but reusing it as it is saves far more. This page is part of our guide to donating CDs, DVDs and games.
The waste hierarchy
Reuse first, recycling second
UK waste law ranks the ways of dealing with waste in order, from best to worst:
Prevent it
Buy less and make things last.
Reuse it
Pass it on so it gets played again as it is. This is what donating your discs does.
Recycle it
Break the disc and case down and turn the material into something new.
Recover it
Burn it to make energy.
Dispose of it
Landfill, the last resort.
A reused DVD is still a whole film in a whole case. You can watch it tonight. Recycling the same disc means shredding it, separating the plastic from the metal, washing and melting it. That takes energy, and the result is raw material, not a film. Playing a disc again keeps everything that went into making it working for longer.
What’s in a disc
Why a new disc costs the planet
CDs, DVDs and game discs are made mainly of three materials: polycarbonate plastic for the disc, a thin layer of aluminium that holds the data, and polystyrene plastic for most cases. Making each new disc and case means producing those materials, pressing the disc, printing the artwork and shipping it all to shops.
When you pass on a disc you no longer play, someone who wants that album, film or game can have it without a new copy being made. Your old music, your children’s films and your console games all count.
What it saves
What reusing discs saves
Every disc that is played again means one less needs to be made. We use one figure across our site for what that saves. It is our own estimate, for every kilo of CDs, DVDs and games reused rather than made new:
Work out your own with the green calculator
These are estimates, not measurements. The 10 kg box is only an example to show how the sum works. Weigh your own discs and use the calculator for a figure that fits your clear-out.
When reuse isn’t possible
When recycling is the right answer
Some discs can’t be played again. They may be damaged, in another language or a playback format that doesn’t work in the UK, or unsuitable for UK viewing. We sort every collection by hand at our warehouse. The discs we can’t pass on are recycled rather than thrown away.
Recycling a disc happens in stages. The case and the disc are shredded and ground into small pieces. The different materials are separated and washed, then melted and cut into pellets. Those pellets become the raw material for something new:
- Polycarbonate goes into car lights, dashboards and instrument panels, reusable bottles, food storage containers and casings for laptops, tablets and phones.
- Polystyrene goes into protective packaging, lightweight building blocks and insulation boards.
- Aluminium goes into drinks cans, car parts, window frames and kitchen utensils.
See the whole journey on what happens to my CDs and DVDs.
So which should you do?
- Still plays? Donate it. Book a free doorstep collection.
- Got old console or computer games? Read about donating video games.
- Not sure? Check what CDs, DVDs and games can I donate?
Never put discs in the bin. To find out why, read why old CDs and DVDs shouldn’t go in the bin.
Kept out of the ground
Every disc stays out of landfill
Discs and cases are made mostly of plastic, and that plastic doesn’t break down. A CD thrown in the bin today will still be in the ground for generations. Our landfills are already under pressure, and things that can be used again shouldn’t end up there.
Donating keeps discs in a circular economy, where things are reused or recycled instead of thrown away. It helps people too. Second-hand discs cost far less than new ones, and we give some of the discs we collect to charities that need them. See who your CDs and DVDs help.
Every day
Other ways to keep discs in use
- Buy second-hand films, music and games before you buy new.
- Lend and swap with friends and family, especially children’s films.
- Keep each disc in its own case, so it doesn’t get scratched.
- Hold discs by the edges and store them away from heat and sunlight.
- Clean a dusty disc with a soft cloth, wiping from the centre outwards.
- Keep the original case and inserts together, so the disc is easier to pass on.
Every disc you pass on gives someone else an affordable choice and means one less made new. We collect them all free from your doorstep, and a large percentage of the proceeds goes to the charity you choose.
Sources
- The figure of 2 kg of CO2e saved per kilo is our own estimate. It is the factor we use across our site for CDs, DVDs and games reused rather than made new.
Ready to donate your CDs, DVDs and games?
It’s free, you don’t need to be at home, and you choose the charity your donation supports.