To throw old books into the recycling bin?

[Dixie81]

I read a lot. Almost all the books I buy are secondhand and rarely cost more than £3. I try to buy ebooks as much as possible but often the used paperback version is cheaper. I only have a small house so theres a limit to how many books I can keep and I reached that limit long ago.

The problem is trying to get rid of books I no longer want. Charity shops around here won’t take them. I tried a few online buyers but it cost more in postage, packaging and petrol than the books were worth and was far too time-consuming to deal with. They also refused to take a lot of the books and only wanted certain ones. I found one of those ‘little free libraries’ but the lady running it said they were inundated with books and having to dispose of a huge amount themselves. So I decided to put them in the recycling bin since that’s where they’ll end up anyway.

I mentioned this to my partner last night and he said it was a terrible thing to do. He thinks it’s disgraceful to throw any book out and not make the effort to pass it on to someone. I explained that I can’t find anyone who wants them but he seemed to think I should try harder regardless of the time and money it takes. For context, these are mass-produced paperbacks so I don’t see how it matters but I’m curious to hear what others think.

Yanbu op, no charity shops take them here anymore and there’s notes on the little libraries saying no extra books please. But it seems so wrong to recycle!

That’s exactly what my local council said too. I tend to rip the covers off anyway.

Just put them in the recycling, life is way too short!

Global Educational Trust – GET Free Books

@Dixie81 I have a similar issue. DH won't part with a book. Mine and the children's get taken to the tips, covers off. I tell DH that they've been donated to the hospital/school fete. He knows the charity shops won't take anything that isn't in exquisite condition or a first edition.

If I outlive him, I have fantasies about skips.

Some people get really weird about those kind of thing but yanbu.
Obviously it’s better if they can be reused (although that’s true of everything) but it’s not always possible. Millions of books are printed and sold in the UK alone every year, we’d be buried under them if none of them were ever disposed of.

Add books you want to read to your wishlist and buy them when they're 99p, so cheaper than paperback books.

Store them at your DPs house while you 'make more effort' to get rid of them.

Give them back to the second hand shops you buy them from?

I was in a National Trust Second Hand bookshop today and they were saying they were desperate for books.

I’ve spent a lot of time on books - selling, valuation etc.
Mass market paperbacks generally belong in the recycling.

YANBU. I'm in a city and even so it becomes some kind of full time job to try and pass on books. There's a charity here that is known for its books but takes very limited donations. It's impossible sometimes to pass them on. Also I buy a lot of second hand books anyway and often they're not really in a condition to donate back, so they go to the tip.

Most charity shops will take them but only a few at a time. Ask first.

Anglo doorstep collection take books if they cover your area! I try and world of books them to get some (little money back) and if not get a pick up from Anglo

Yanbu. You've tried. They don't want them. You can't do more than that!

Will Hospitals take them?

That’s a good idea. His house is huge so I’ll start dumping them there for him to deal with 😁. Since it matters so much to him!

No need for the snide “well done” comment.Unless of course you are single-handedly saving the planet

I was going to say the same - and/or just stick them outside on a table on a dry day with a ‘help yourself’ sign like people did during Covid. I get you, OP, I’m passionate about books and hate the thought of putting them in the recycling but it’s tricky when the charity shop don’t want them and no one you know does either.

I’m surprised that no charity shops want them. They can’t get enough of them in the local charity shops here. Are there no charity book stalls near you? Tesco, Morrison’s, Co-Op and B&Q have them here.

You're wishcycling. Books can't be recycled due to the glue used to bind them. Just chuck them in the bin or use them for kindling if you have a wood burner.

My local supermarkets have places you can leave them for a book swap. I wonder if you have any near you that do. It seems really sad to bin a book.

My GP and dental practices have a free library. Appreciate that only helps if they’re close by/convenient to get to if you’re rural.

Book a collection with www.anglodoorstepcollections.co.uk. They take books, clothes, ornaments, etc and give a proportion to charity. I've always found them very efficient.

@Theunamedcat

Where I volunteer (an Oxfam bookshop) we couldn't sell books in good condition for 20p. We're literally not allowed to. The minimum price that we have to adhere to is £2.99 (occasionally 1.99 if we can't justify a higher price but think it might sell.)

The price for decent condition (not like new) fiction at my shop is £2.99 or £3.99. Our manager would be in significant trouble if she let people price them at 20 or 50p.

Lovely idea and a useful link for sime I'm sure, but not sure third-hand books like OPs are in "new-like" condition?

And I definitely think we can get a bit too precious about "saving" a book that's already been read twice. As per pps comment about recycling newspapers.

I also reserve the right to bin (or tear out the pages of and put in the recycling) books that are dreadfully written, or perpetuate sexist, ablist etc stereotypes. And plenty do!