Tips for Recycling and Disposing of Photographic Chemicals

Film and Photo Paper

Most photographic films and paper contain silver before processing. After processing, the silver level is much higher. Due to this heavy metal content, simply dumping it in the trash is environmentally irresponsible. Luckily, many of the companies who accept silver from your used fixer will take your negative and print scraps.

Photo Chemicals

The toxicity of chemicals generally used in traditional photographic print development is so high that there are state and federal regulations on proper disposal. Such regulations are common in other countries as well. Listed below are the main chemicals used in photo processing, and what you can do with them.

• Developer - To dispose of used developer and stop bath (below), mix the two substances together in a ventilated container, to a pH level between five and seven. You can buy test strips to measure the pH level. Unused developer that contains hydroquinone must be turned in as a hazardous waste.
• Stop bath – See entry above for “developer.” Stop bath can also be neutralized with baking soda or brought to a hazardous waste facility. Be sure to keep in mind that stop bath can be reused. Look for the manufacturer’s recommended limit of reuse.
• Fixer (black and white processing) & bleach-fixer (color processing) – Like stop bath, fixer can be reused, and you should check the manufacturer’s recommendations. However, you cannot simply mix this substance with another to neutralize it after you have used it. The high content of silver has to be removed from the liquid, but luckily the metal pieces can be recycled. In fact, many companies taht accept photographic chemicals will pay you for the recovered silver, but be sure to call them in advance to find out if you are expected to purchase the necessary filters or machinery yourself.
• Stabilizers – Another photochemical that requires silver filtration and recycling.
• Toners (varied chemical solutions) – There are many toners used in photography, which have a wide array of ingredients. Some utilize heavy metals, others contain highly toxic chemicals. For any toner, look at the bottle or box for proper disposal instructions, as all photographic toners are required to have a label with this information. If you are still uncertain of what to do with the substance, contact the photochemical recycling facility you intend to use.

Cleaning Photo Chemical Storage Containers

If you want to recycle your old storage containers, certain steps have to be taken in the interest of safety and accordance with the law:

• Dispose of remaining chemicals in accordance with the instructions above or the products’ Material Safety Data Sheet (should be included with product).
• Rinse out the containers several times with cold water, and dispose of the water waste in the appropriate manner for the product involved.
• Make sure that no stains or residues are left behind.
• Find a recycling vendor who accepts plastic, glass or metal, depending on the material from which your container is made. Call your recycler to be certain they will take the container, given its previous contents
• You can also see if you can turn in old containers to the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility that accepts your photochemical wastes.

Digital Photography Waste Materials:

• Depending on the silver content in your photo paper, you may need to have these recycled by one of the hazardous waste disposal companies accepting photographic material. Be sure to read packaging labels and try to find supplies with little or no silver present.
• If you print your photos at home, you will eventually use up the toner in you printer. Search Eath911 to find a nearby recycling center or drop-off for your empty cartridges.
• If you are planning on printing your photos, you can purchase photo paper made from recycled content.
• If you use a digital camera that utilizes batteries, don’t forget to turn in your used batteries for recycling. If possible, use rechargeable batteries.