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What to Do With Old Vinyl Records

By Josh Eldred · New Mexico Literacy Project · · Updated September 2026

Donate them. Records still have listeners, and vinyl doesn’t belong in the trash or the recycling cart. In the Albuquerque metro I take records of every speed and every condition: LPs, 45s, 78s and box sets, scratched, warped or missing their jackets. Put a crate in the covered 24/7 drop box outside the gate at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, bring a heavy collection 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. any day, when someone at the warehouse helps unload, or text 505-250-3804 for free pickup, scheduled by route.

Fastest way to clear them: the 24/7 drop box at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, a covered box outside the gate, by the road, takes whatever fits, any hour, any condition. Too much for the box? Come 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., when someone is there to help unload, or get on a free pickup route. Directions.

Before the records leave the house

Keep what means something. The album your parents danced to, the record with a note written on the sleeve: pull those first. Everything else can go in one trip.

Check the sleeves. Photos, letters, concert tickets and receipts hide in record jackets and inner sleeves. Flip through before you box them.

Pack them upright. Records travel best standing on edge, snug in a box or crate, never stacked flat. 78s are brittle shellac, so give them a small, tightly packed box of their own.

Why donating beats the trash and the recycling cart

Records are pressed from PVC, which few recycling programs accept, and they aren’t on the City of Albuquerque’s blue-cart list (checked September 2026). In the trash, they’re landfill. A playable record, even a worn common one, still has someone who will put it on a turntable, and that’s the whole case for passing a collection on instead of throwing it out.

Where to donate records in Albuquerque

I take vinyl free across the Albuquerque metro, any quantity, no sorting, alongside books, CDs, DVDs and tapes. Everything gets sorted by hand at the warehouse: records go back into circulation, and the ones too broken to play are handled as responsibly as I can. A crate or two fits the drop box; a wall of records is easier as a pickup or a daytime drop-off. Turntables, receivers and speakers come too, handed over 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or on a pickup rather than left in the box. Donations aren’t tax-deductible, and I never buy records or pay for them; it’s a free service. The vinyl donation guide and the media donation hub cover the rest of the shelf.

Boxes of records to move?

Free pickup across the Albuquerque metro, any quantity, no sorting. Every record gets sorted by hand.

Call or Text 505-250-3804

Frequently asked questions

What should I do with old vinyl records?
Donate them. Records still have listeners, and vinyl doesn't belong in the trash or the recycling cart. Keep anything with family meaning, then pass the rest on in one go. In the Albuquerque metro I take records of every speed and condition through a covered 24/7 drop box and free pickup.
Where can I donate old records in Albuquerque?
Here. Put a crate in the covered 24/7 drop box outside the gate at 5445 Edith Blvd NE; bring a heavy collection 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week, when someone is there to help unload; or text 505-250-3804 for free pickup, scheduled by route. Any quantity, no sorting.
Do you take scratched or warped records?
Yes. Scratched, warped, cracked, dusty, missing the jacket or the inner sleeve: every record gets sorted by hand, so condition never keeps one out. Loose jackets and empty sleeves can come too.
Do you take 78s and 45s?
Yes. 78 RPM shellac discs, 45 singles, LPs, box sets and picture discs are all welcome. 78s are brittle, so stack them upright in a small box rather than a heavy crate; the 78 RPM guide has more.
Do you take turntables and stereos?
Yes, working or not: turntables, receivers, speakers and cassette decks. They're electronics, so hand them over 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or add them to a pickup instead of putting them in the box.
Can vinyl records be recycled?
Rarely. Records are PVC, which few recycling programs take, and they aren't on the City of Albuquerque's blue-cart list. A playable record does more good on a listener's turntable than at a recycler, which is why donating beats both the cart and the trash can.
Can I donate records from outside Albuquerque?
Yes. Records ship by USPS Media Mail, so you can mail them to me from anywhere in the US; postage is donor-paid. Pack them upright and snug.

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Cite This Guide

Eldred, J. (May 2026). What to Do With Old Vinyl Records. New Mexico Literacy Project.

https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/what-to-do-with-old-vinyl-records

Content is original research by Josh Eldred. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cite with attribution.

What To Do With… — The Whole Series

Request Your Free Pickup

Got these to clear out? Tell me what you have and where it is. I’m the only person who shows up — I do the lifting, any condition, no sorting. Tell me your timeline and I’ll do my best to work with it. Texts go straight to my phone at 505-250-3804.

Prefer to drop off? Open 24/7.

The covered box outside the gate, by the road, at 5445 Edith Blvd NE takes books, DVDs, CDs, records, video games and cameras, any hour. Too much for the box? Come 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., when someone is there to help unload.

Drop-off details