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If you grew up in the 1990s or early 2000s, there’s a good chance you have a stack of CDs tucked away somewhere. (If you’re like me, they were proudly kept in a case stored in the car.) But now maybe they’re packed away in the basement or stuffed deep in a cabinet or drawer somewhere.
If you’re in the midst of decluttering your home, throwing the discs in the trash can feel wasteful. The good news is that music CDs in playable condition may still be useful to thrift stores, libraries, senior centers, and people in your community.
Here’s where to donate old CDs, plus what to do with scratched, homemade, or unwanted discs that aren’t suitable for donation.
6 Places You Can Donate Old CDs
Before donating your CDs, quickly inspect them for deep scratches, cracks, or missing cases. Most organizations only want commercially produced CDs that are clean and playable. Personal photo discs, burned music mixes, software discs containing sensitive information, and other homemade CDs are better suited for recycling.
Goodwill
Goodwill is one of the easiest places to donate old music CDs. Many Goodwill organizations accept CDs, DVDs, records, books, and other forms of physical media that they can resell in their thrift stores.
Donation rules are set by regional Goodwill organizations, so acceptance can vary. Before dropping off a large collection, check your local Goodwill’s list of accepted items or call the donation center. At least some regional Goodwill organizations specifically list CDs among the media items they accept.
You can use Goodwill’s online locator to find a donation center near you.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army may also accept CDs that are clean and in good condition. Donated goods are sold through Salvation Army thrift stores, with proceeds supporting the organization’s Adult Rehabilitation Centers.
Policies can differ between locations, so call ahead before making the trip. Several Salvation Army donation centers specifically include CDs, DVDs, albums, and video games on their lists of acceptable items.
You can use the Salvation Army’s website to find a nearby drop-off site or determine whether pickup service is available in your area.
Your Local Library
Some public libraries accept music CDs for Friends of the Library sales or used bookstores. The money raised from these sales typically goes toward library materials, events, and community programs.
Not every library accepts donated media, though. Some have limited storage space, only collect donations before scheduled sales, or no longer accept CDs. Call your library or check its website before bringing anything in.
Libraries that do accept CDs generally want commercially produced discs in excellent condition, complete with their original cases and cover inserts. For example, Princeton Public Library and Livonia Public Library currently include music CDs in their donation guidelines.
Senior Centers and Assisted-Living Facilities
Senior centers, nursing homes, and assisted-living communities may be interested in music CDs, especially collections featuring oldies, classical music, gospel, big-band music, or popular artists from past decades.
Music can be used during group activities, exercise classes, special events, or recreation. However, many facilities now rely on streaming services, so don’t arrive with a box of CDs without checking first.
Call the facility’s activities director and describe the type and quantity of music you have. They can tell you whether the CDs would be useful and when donations can be dropped off.
Freecycle
Freecycle helps people give away unwanted belongings to others in their local communities. After joining your local Freecycle group, you can create an “Offer” post describing your CD collection.
For the best chance of finding someone interested, group the discs by genre or artist. For example, you could list a collection of country CDs, classic rock albums, children’s music, or audiobooks rather than advertising one large box of miscellaneous discs.
Freecycle allows members to include a description and photos with an offer, making it easy for someone nearby to decide whether they want the collection.
Facebook Buy Nothing Groups
Another easy option is to offer your old CDs through a local Facebook Buy Nothing group, yard-sale page, or community free-items group.
Take a clear picture of the collection and mention the general genres or artists included. You may have better luck giving the CDs away in smaller groups rather than requiring one person to take everything.
Teachers, crafters, collectors, parents, and people with older vehicles may still use CDs. Since the recipient usually picks up the donation, this option can also save you a trip to a thrift store.
Where to Recycle Old CDs
CDs that are badly scratched, cracked, homemade, or missing important pieces usually aren’t good candidates for donation. However, you generally shouldn’t put them in your regular curbside recycling bin either.
CDs contain layers of polycarbonate plastic, metal, lacquer, and other materials that require specialized processing. Standard recycling facilities may not be equipped to separate those materials.
Here are a few better options.
Look for a Local Specialty Recycling Program
Check with your county solid-waste district or a local electronics recycler to find out whether it accepts CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and jewel cases.
Rules vary widely. Some communities offer permanent drop-off bins, while others collect discs only during special recycling events. For example, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, currently accepts CDs, recordable CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, LaserDiscs, and their cases through its solid-waste district.
Earth911 also has a recycling search tool that can help you locate possible drop-off sites in your area.
Mail Them to GreenDisk
If you can’t find a local recycling program, GreenDisk offers a mail-in recycling service for CDs, DVDs, computer accessories, and other forms of what the company calls “technotrash.”
You pack the items in your own box, purchase the recycling service, and pay to ship the box to GreenDisk. Its standard Pack-IT service currently covers up to 25 pounds of material, with an additional charge for weight over that amount.
Because you have to pay for the service and shipping, this option makes the most sense when you have a large collection or several types of old electronic media to recycle at once.
Separate the Paper Inserts
Even when a recycling program accepts CDs and jewel cases, it may require you to separate the different materials.
Remove paper booklets, album covers, and cardboard sleeves before recycling the discs. Clean paper inserts can usually go in your household paper-recycling bin, although you should follow the rules of your local recycling provider.
Keep the discs and plastic cases together or separate them according to the specialty recycler’s instructions.
Can You Sell Old CDs?
Before donating your collection, take a few minutes to check whether any of your CDs are worth selling.
Most common CDs aren’t especially valuable, but rare releases, limited editions, discontinued albums, imports, signed copies, box sets, and CDs from lesser-known artists can sometimes attract collectors.
Search eBay for the exact artist, album title, release year, and catalog number. Then filter the results to show sold listings rather than relying on sellers’ asking prices.
You can list valuable CDs individually. For common albums, group them into lots by artist or genre and offer them through eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or a local record store.
Remember that condition matters. A CD with its original case, booklet, artwork, and inserts will generally be easier to sell than a loose disc stored in a binder.
Keeping Old CDs Out of the Trash
If you’re wondering where to donate old CDs, start by checking with Goodwill, the Salvation Army, your local library, or a nearby senior center. You can also offer the collection through Freecycle or a Facebook Buy Nothing group.
CDs that are cracked, badly scratched, homemade, or otherwise unsuitable for reuse can go to a specialty recycling program. Just avoid putting them in your regular recycling bin unless your local provider specifically says it accepts them.
With a little effort, you can clear out your old music collection without sending the entire stack to a landfill.
