Waste disposal

All the techniques and equipment needed to develop film, create glass plates or print following traditional & alternative methods
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Charles Twist
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Waste disposal

Post by Charles Twist » Wed Jan 04, 2012 4:26 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

What does everyone do with their liquid waste from processing and printing?

Putting it down the drain doesn't strike me as particularly wholesome, although I accept that the concentration of baddies is probably quite low by the time they get to the sewage treatment plant. I am mainly interested in B&W film chemistry, but if folk here want to provide expertise on the other processes (E6, printing ...), and maybe too what folk should do if their waste goes to a cess pit, then we can turn this topic in to a sticky.

Thank you,
Charles

Chris Wilding
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Re: Waste disposal

Post by Chris Wilding » Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:32 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi Charles

Sorry I don't have any real answers,except electrolysis! but I am interested in this . At the moment I just worry about the fix or bleach/fix which luckily I can dispose of at work. The rest I just heavily dilute with water before pouring away to PH neutralise it(B&W devs and stops are pretty inocuous). I would be interested to know the best way of disposing of colour process stabilizer though, I know the the newer ones are low or no formaldehyde but as you say.....

Cheers

Chris

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Glenn Haworth
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Re: Waste disposal

Post by Glenn Haworth » Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:57 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I have no answers either but it's something I'm also interested in. I currently only do E6 processing but I'm looking at expanding it to B&W and maybe C41 this year, so a nice clean safe way to dispose of the chemicals would be great.

lostlandsuk
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Re: Waste disposal

Post by lostlandsuk » Thu Jan 05, 2012 1:56 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

The amount of BW chems I use is fairly small, and I suppose the amount of mileage I get out of a batch of Barry Thornton's 2 bath developer (roughly the equivalent of 11 or 12 rolls of 120) sort of recompenses for any one-shot stuff I do (HC110 and Rodinal).
Diluting as much as possible for final disposal I suppose helps. And I am not on a septic tank though I think I would reconsider everything if I were!
Phil

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Re: Waste disposal

Post by michaelfinch » Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:52 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Hi all. Some years ago when I was using more BW chemics than now (processing 40-50 rolls per week plus 20-30 5x4 I contacted the local council to ask how to dispose. The volumes I was using didn't warrant silver recovery. The answer was simple - 'put it down the drain, those quantities won't have an impact.' So I did. I assume that with the passage of time the volume of BW/colour chemicals has considerably reduced - but standards are now tougher. I guess the answer is to check out with the Environment Agency.

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Re: Waste disposal

Post by michaelfinch » Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:04 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Glen - lovely pic of the dandelion on your flikr page! How does it look full size?

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Glenn Haworth
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Re: Waste disposal

Post by Glenn Haworth » Fri Jan 06, 2012 8:07 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

michaelfinch wrote:Glen - lovely pic of the dandelion on your flikr page! How does it look full size?
Thanks Michael. TBH I can't remember as it has been a long time since I've seen the full sized version :)

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