Recycling your DVD, CDs and VHS tapes with The Butterfly Garden

The Butterfly Garden takes in donated VHS tapes - and now CD’s and DVD’s - which can be dropped off by Cheltenham residents at the Swindon Road household recycling centre. The units are delivered and then dismantled, separating every last component making it fit for recycling. The separated components are then collected by county recyclers, Printwaste, who guide all elements into the final stages of the chain for repurposing. The scheme is one of the few places that also recycle VHS tapes.

Chris Evans, chair of The Butterfly Garden, said: “This initiative creates purposeful occupation for a large number of students and helps to reduce waste. We are most grateful to Cheltenham Borough Council and the Swindon Road team for their support and encouragement. We have now redirected more than one million VHS cassettes from landfill.”

Cllr Iain Dobie, cabinet member for waste, recycling and street services at Cheltenham Borough Council, continued: “We are constantly looking to remove as many recyclables from our waste as possible, to support our commitment to tackle climate change.

“Cheltenham residents are incredibly motivated to recycle and donate VHS tapes and this can be seen by the impressive amount recycled so far. Our huge thanks goes to residents for supporting this wonderful project and fantastic non-profit organisation. Please help further by donating to the project if you can.”

Find out more information about the council’s waste and recycling services on the webpages www.cheltenham.gov.uk/recycling.

In 2019, Cheltenham Borough Council declared a climate emergency and a commitment to be a carbon neutral council and borough by 2030. The goal of a carbon neutral borough will be met by delivering activity which supports and promotes the town’s core vision to be a place where everyone thrives. For more information on the council’s climate emergency work, visit www.vision21.org.uk/cheltenhamzero/.

For press enquiries, please contact: communications, 01242 264231 [email protected].

Notes: The Butterfly Garden extends across more than four acres and was started in 2002 when six young autistic students were visiting the small commercial nursery and garden centre on the outskirts of Cheltenham. Now, over 100 students attend each week, many are referred by colleges, schools, day centres and NHS support agencies.

The Butterfly Garden is no longer just about gardening - as the project has evolved, people have offered help and services and today the provision is both diverse and stimulating. The volunteers now support art, music, woodwork and catering as well as gardening.