4 ways to recycle floppy disks
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Notepad made from recycled floppy disks
One of our readers has asked about recycling floppy disks.
As she says “There must be millions of them floating about in a world where technology is now USB dominated”.
I’ve done a bit of research and while options for recycling are limited there are heaps of creative reuse ideas flying around the net. Here are four ideas and I’d love to hear yours.
Recycle
You may have to club together with some friends for this one because you’ll have to pay and they require 15kg boxes of discs at a time, but AA Waste will destroy and recycle floppy disks.
Computer recycling services
Another company that will destroy data and recycle your floppy disks are Computer Recycling Services. They endeavour to refurbish and re-use as much equipment as possible to assist in the reduction of waste but if you’re uncomfortable with that, the whole lot will be recycled for you.
recycled floppy disk bag
From disk to bag
Need a new handbag? Look no further than this floppy disk purse. If you’re more man about town, then this floppy disk bag, which uses 46 disk might be more your, erm, bag. Here’s the full instructions on making your own floppy disk man bag.
Stationery
A couple of my favourite ideas for reusing a small quantity of obsolete floppy disks are this pen holder and note book. It might be a little late for this Christmas, but perhaps you should start making a stash for 2011 stocking fillers!
You’ll find instructions on instructibles for making a floppy disk notepad and reusing floppy disks to make a pen holder.
recycled floppy disk pen holder
What about you – do you know of any companies that recycle floppy disks or do you have some creative reuse ideas of your own?
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Thanks for this Rae as I do have lots of disks that I can’t use now. Will make a note of these companies for sending them next year.
Too late now, but I did destroy loads of these at DH’s office. The boss thought I was barmy for rescuing the metal (centre disk and a spring that looked a bit like a paper clip).. I then shredded the pastic that the info was on and the cases had to go in the waste. This was a few years ago and I did what I could at the time, but I reckon I could have made several bags if I’d known or realised that was an option!!
How interesting! I wonder how many floppy disks there are floating around now. We don’t have any and I have no idea what we ever did with them, back in the day. 😉
My husband would love this, he is a computer junky and keeps all this stuff. A throwback to earlier times! I am putting this on my Christmas 2011 to-do list for homemade gifts.
Thanks!!
@Julie Day: Hi Julie, good luck with using the companies; details can change fast, so give me any updates on successes or otherwise 😉
@Poppy: Oh well, you did as much as you could Poppy – far more than most would have done x
@Brenna: Hi Brenna, we have boxes of them and it’s a ‘one day’ procrastination job as we do still have an old computer that uses them!
@SherryGreens: You’re welcome; I hope your husband has fun too!
The Recycling People in Ross on Wye will take the plastic covers of floppy disks. You need to pull them apart first and dispose of the contents.
http://www.therecyclingpeople.co.uk/
Do people here soak off the labels as well before sending them away for recycling?
@Teresa: Thanks Teresa, I was fortunate to speak with that company a year or so ago because they take back audio cassette tapes too. I don’t soak labels off; I treat them like can labels and assume a little contamination is ok. (hope that’s right!)
I tend to remove labels for privacy reasons and then are forever soaking them off and also the glue. Then I might have to use eucalyptus oil to get the rest of the glue off.