How to Recycle and Repurpose Old CDs

CDs are recyclable, but you can’t just throw them in your curbside recycling bin. Now that listening to music has shifted to online streaming services, you may have loads of dusty CDs sitting in boxes in your home. There’s a right way to recycle or repurpose them.

Compact discs are made out of polycarbonate plastic, which is classified as a No. 7 or “other” plastic. These plastics are often more difficult to recycle. CDs sometimes also contain traces of aluminum and gold, which are easily recyclable materials. You may have to work harder to find a place to recycle your old CDs, but there are also plenty of smart, eco-friendly ways to reuse them.

How to Recycle CDs 

CDs often come in three parts: the shiny plastic CD itself, the CD case, and the paper liner notes that are slipped into the case. Sometimes only one or two of the components are recyclable. 

Curbside Pick-up and Drop-off Centers

It can be difficult to find recycling options, but you shouldn't throw your CDs in the trash. The plastics certainly don't decompose easily. And if CDs are burned, they can release harmful chemicals in the air including hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide, and dioxins. Polycarbonate plastic contains BPA, or bisphenol-A, which has links to health issues such as reproductive problems, early puberty, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

In most cases, you can’t put plastic CDs in with your normal recycling for curbside pickup. But just in case, check your community website to see if they are accepted. Sometimes, the plastic CD cases can be recycled at the curb because they are made of more easily recyclable No. 6 plastic. The good news is that the liner notes are recyclable and can go in your bin. (Some municipal waste collection services, however, may say that the garbage is the best place for old CDs. They can't be bothered because there's no value in it for them.)

If you can’t recycle CDs at home, you may be able to find a nearby drop-off recycling center that accepts them. They could fall into your municipality's e-waste category. Use Earth911’s search tool to see if they are recyclable in your area. You may have to separate the CDs from their cases before you can drop them off.

Mail-in Programs

If you can’t find a local solution, reach out to companies like GreenDisk. You can mail your CDs to these centers and they’ll make sure they are recycled for new uses. According to the CD Recycling Center of America, specialized recycling companies will clean, grind, blend, and compound the CDs into plastic that can be reused for items such as auto parts, office equipment, and street lights. 

GreenDisk charges a small fee but also takes other types of e-waste including hard drives, floppy discs, and VHS tapes.

Ways to Reuse CDs

You also can get creative with your CDs by repurposing and reusing them. Although you might not want your music anymore, other people could be interested in listening. Look for record stores or online sites that buy used music, like Decluttr or Amazon. Consider offering them for sale in social media groups or on Craigslist. Don’t worry if the CDs have minor scratches. Some record stores have equipment that will repair them. You can fix some at home by rubbing a dab of non-gel toothpaste on the non-label side of the CD.

If you’d rather donate your CDs, box them up and drop them off at a library or a local nonprofit group. You might be able to donate them to schools or nursing homes. Thrift stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army will resell used CDs and give them a second life while making money for their cause.

If you’re feeling crafty, CDs can be repurposed in all sorts of ways. Give them to kids with a little glue and whatever’s in your craft box. Use them as Christmas tree ornaments, drink coasters, or ice scrapers for your windshield. Cut them into pieces and create some sparkle around frames and mirrors. You could also hang them in a vegetable garden to spin and startle birds, protecting your plants from unwanted raids. The options are endless, so there's no reason to let used CDs gather dust in your drawer or send them to a landfill.

One final note: While Treehugger would prefer to avoid tossing items in landfills whenever possible, it might be your only option for old CDs, depending on where you live, and that is preferable to spending the rest of your life surrounded by stress-inducing clutter. So don't feel horribly guilty if that's what you end up doing, and let it be a lesson for future purchases, that considering the whole life cycle of an item is worthwhile.