How do I put old used T-120/T-160 VHS and S-VHS out to pasture? (1 Viewer)

[Who's On First?]

First, I'm an infrequent poster but I log into the forum regularly and I find it to be a wealth of information on movies and home theater. I hope I've posted this question in the right spot, if not I apologize in advance to the mods.

Okay here's the problem: basically, I'm wanting to get rid of old cassettes. I'm a T.V. timeshifting junkie, but have graduated from VHS and S-VHS to a HD PVR (via a home-brew HTPC I built a couple years ago). I also have some S-VHS recordings of movies dubbed from laserdisc, which I have since replaced with DVDs.

This weekend we had a garage sale, and I thought I'd just put the used cassettes (T-120s and T-160s) into a box with a "Free" sign. Guess what? Apparently you can't even give away old cassettes.

So tonight I googled and searched various forums to find out how to dispose of old, used blanks... but all the online information, as far as I can tell, talk about how to get rid of your old commercial VHS movies (suggestions included giving away to hospitals or charities).

So I humbly ask anyone who has dealt with this issue - how can I cast off these old tapes without sending them straight to the landfill? I'm talking about dozens of VHS tapes and probably over one hundred S-VHS tapes. As these tapes are perfectly functional, would Salvation Army or Goodwill take them? What are the suggestions or experiences of other HT Forum members on this issue? I figure if any online community has a solution, it would have to be this one.

My sincerest appreciation to anyone who reads this, and thank you in advance for any brilliant ideas

 

[Ed Moxley]

Take them to Goodwill.
If they are home recorded tapes, I'd erase them first, and give them blanks. Commercial movies on tape are fine.

 

[Who's On First?]

Thanks a bunch, Ed. I will check w/ Goodwill on Monday.

 

[Michael Rogers]

Who told you that? I used to go to a mom and pop video store that would take in old video tape collections and sell them technically as blanks. Because of that I was able to get a number of original off the air 1970's and early 80's recordings (I collect vintage original broadcasts with commercials). I always thought what the mom and pop store did was legally dubious (but was glad they were doing it) but don't see how giving them away would be dubious at all.

 

[Al.Anderson]

The DCMA people can sleep with a job well done tonight. The OP meant that nobody wanted them, not that it wasn't allowed.