by, Ian Stewart

You listen to them on your stereo, play them in your computer, or watch movies on them. Compact discs (CDs) and their faster cousin, digital video discs (DVDs) are everywhere! Only a few millimeters thick, they provide hours of entertainment and hold huge volumes of information. Do you ever stop to think about how CDs and DVDs are made, what materials are used, or what happens to these discs when you don’t want them any more? Making products like CDs and DVDs consumes natural resources, produces waste, and uses energy. So what to do with those unwanted disks?

Reuse, Recycling or Disposal

Depending on their condition, discs can be reused or recycled instead of thrown away.

Reuse

A good way to keep discs out of the garbage is to reuse them:

• Minor scratches can be repaired by rubbing a mild abrasive (such as toothpaste) on the non- label side of a disc in a circular motion from the center out. Also, some commercial refinishers can inexpensively repair your CDs.

• Unwanted CDs or DVDs can be sold to some stores, traded with friends, or donated to schools, libraries, or other organizations. Buying used CDs and DVDs or borrowing them from the library can also help reduce the environmental impact associated with manufacturing new products.

Recycling

CDs can be recycled for use in new products. Specialized electronic recycling companies clean, grind, blend, and compound the discs into a high-quality plastic for a variety of uses, including:

• Automotive industry parts.

• Raw materials to make plastics (Discs are ground into a gravel-like substance, which is sold to companies that melt it down and convert it to plastic).

• Office equipment.

• Alarm boxes and panels, street lights, and electrical cable insulation.

• Jewel cases.

Disposal

There’s no need to dispose of your discs now that you have a choice to send them to a collection center (a list of collection centers is below). Always try to share, donate, or trade your discs and all this fails, send them to a recycling center. CDs and DVDs that are thrown away waste energy and result in lost valuable resources.

Collection Centers

Any of the following collection centers will accept your disks free of charge. You only pay the postage. Visit their web sites for further information.

The Compact Disk Recycling Center of America

68H Stiles Road

Salem, NH 03079

Phone: 603-894-5553

Fax: 603-898-4319

www.cdrecyclingcenter.com

Back Thru The Future Technology Disposal
150 Main St.
Ogdensburg, NJ  07439

Phone: 973-823-9752

www.cdrecyclingforfree.com

Polysource International Inc.

13505 Yorba Ave, Unit R

Chino, California 91710

Phone: 909-591-6510

Fax: 909-591-8112

www.cdrecyclingcentral.comcan send your any of the fol to any of the foloowing organizations

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