Do you have a stockpile of old VHS and cassette tapes lying around your home or business? Once used widely, this technology has become obsolete, and many people no longer have a use for it. However, leaving these media forms lying around puts your information at risk. Learn the proper ways to dispose of old VHS and cassette tapes to keep your personal information out of the wrong hands.

Erase Existing Data

While they may be outdated, your VHS and cassette tapes can contain personal and confidential information. To ensure this information stays secure, you’ll need to erase the existing data before disposing either kind of tape. While there are several DIY methods to destroy the data contained on the tape reel, the safest method is to use a degausser machine. The degaussing process utilizes powerful magnetic fields to disrupt the magnetic particles on the tape reel. This process permanently erases all data on VHS, cassettes, and other tapes, so make sure you’ve backed up this information first if you want to preserve it.

Are VHS Tapes Recyclable?

Yes, VHS tapes are recyclable. In fact, you should avoid throwing VHS and cassette tapes into the trash when you can. Throwing away your VHS and cassette tapes not only puts your personal information in danger, but also harms the environment. VHS and cassette tapes contain materials that can be harmful and even toxic to the environment when they break down. Look for a local service that offers e-waste drop-offs and pickups to keep your personal or business e-waste out of landfills.

Use a High-Security Disintegrator

Some businesses and organizations have strict information destruction guidelines. If you need to ensure that your old VHS and cassette tapes are completely wiped and destroyed for disposal, choose a high-security disintegrator. These machines excel in destroying various media, including VHS and cassette tapes. You can also rely on disintegrator machines to destroy hard drives, IDs, and cell phones. Disintegrators shred these media types into tiny particles that can be disposed of safely.

Utilize these strategies for properly disposing old VHS and cassette tapes to keep your organization’s information safe. If your business uses a variety of media sharing devices or has a stockpile of old media waiting to be disposed of, consider investing in a disintegrator shredder. At Capital Shredder Corp., we offer a range of security options, including high security optical media shredders to keep your information safe.