You can use the TAPE RECYCLE command to recycle 1 to 40 tape volumes, or use the MOVEVOL command with the RECYCLE option to recycle single tape or optical volumes. After all the objects have been moved off of the tape or optical volume, OAM processes the volume in a similar way as if it has expired. When you recycle a tape volume, you can leave it in its storage group, return the volume to OAM scratch status, or return the volume to MVS scratch status. You can reuse the tape or optical volume immediately.
When a volume is released from DFSMSdfp, DFSMSrmm also releases the volume.