Our warehouse is filled with an ever-changing inventory of reusable material saved from Philadelphia’s creative industries. In conjunction with DesignPhiladelphia, we’re challenging you to generate new works from these previously wasted resources. Prizes will be given for the best submissions! Bonus points for project examples [pictures/links] from your own life or from your favorite artists and makers!

sunday, october 14th — industry: digital arts / new media —

material: compact discs

Compact discs are optical discs for digital data storage, made from .05” of polycarbonate plastic with a thin layer of aluminum or gold on one side, coated with lacquer. Data is encoded in a spiral of indentations, running from the center out, in the top of the polycarbonate layer and is read by laser. CD consumption peaked at the turn of the century before more versatile USB devices supplanted CDs as the popular data storage option.

Polycarbonate is one of many plastics made from petroleum. Its production contributes to the oil industry, and it is both non-biodegradable and linked to cancer and genetic damage through its capacity to leach Bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogen-like hormone, in the presence of high temperature water. Most CDs and DVDs are sold in jewel cases produced from polyvinul chloride [PVC], a non-biodegradable plastic containing a variety of additives such as lead, making it difficult to recycle [the EPA estimates that less than one percent of jewel cases are recycled]. Most discs are also screen printed with petrochemical inks for decorative labels, and then further packaged in plastic shrink wrap that is also discarded.

CrookedBrains has a collection of interesting ideas for CD and CD case reuse. What’s your great idea? Leave a comment or email info at theresourceexchange dot org to submit your idea for how to reuse CDs!