Managing photographic and x ray
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This document provides guidance on managing photographic and x-ray wastes. It discusses that fixer solutions, rinse waters, and solutions from cleaning developer tanks typically contain silver above hazardous levels of 5 parts per million. It recommends using a silver recovery unit to remove silver from fixer solutions and rinse waters to make them nonhazardous, or having them picked up by a silver recovery firm. For used developer, film, negatives, and paper, it recommends checking hazardous waste regulations, recycling, or proper storage and disposal as hazardous waste.
Managing photographic and x ray
- 1. B Y S R E E R E M Y A . S , M . p h i l Managing Photographic and X-ray Waste
- 2. Environmental Concerns Many photographic and x-ray wastes contain silver thiosulfate. Wastes having a silverconcentration of 5.0 parts per million (ppm) or more are hazardous because they display the characteristic of toxicity.
- 3. Wastes that typically contain silver in concentrations greater than 5 ppm include: • Fixer solutions. • Rinse waters following fixer baths. • Solutions from cleaning developer tanks (cleaners dissolve precipitated silver). • Film, negatives and paper Manage photographic and X-ray wastes as discussed below to prevent harm to human health and the environment.
- 4. Managing Fixer Solutions and Rinse Waters Fixer solutions and rinse waters following fixer baths generally contain silver at a concentration of 5.0 ppm or more making them hazardous (waste code D011). Solutions can be run through a silver recovery unit to remove silver. To ensure the maximum amount of silver is being removed, make sure the unit is maintained regularly and is working properly. Old or poorly maintained units may not remove enough silver from solution to make it nonhazardous. After the silver has been removed, the solution may often be discharged to the local wastewater treatment plant.
- 5. If you do not have a silver recovery unit, silver-recovery firms will pick up the untreated fixer solution. Store untreated fixer solution in sturdy, closed containers away from floor drains. Mark the container with:• the words “Hazardous Waste” and “Used Fixer Solution” and the date waste was first placed into the container. Store the container in a place where it will not be damaged and cannot leak into a floor drain. You may want to place the container inside a bucket or pan to ensure the contents will not enter a floor drain. Do not discharge untreated (or treated) waste fixer solution into a septic system.
- 6. Managing Developer Solutions Used developer is not typically a hazardous waste. Unused developer, if discarded, may be hazardous because of a high pH. Check the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the pH of the solution. Developer with a pH of 12.5 or more is hazardous because it is corrosive (waste code D002). • If the pH of the product is close to 12.5, the pH of the waste will generally be less than 12.5 and would therefore fall below the regulated level and be nonhazardous. Used developer is still very caustic and should be handled with care.
- 7. Developer solutions can often be discharged to a sanitary sewer system (never to a septic system). • Check with your sewer authority before discharging. You will likely need to lower the pH to a level acceptable to your sewer authority before it will allow the discharge. You may be able to lower the pH adequately by simply discharging the developer solution with the waste fixer solution that leaves the recovery unit. • Or, lower the pH by mixing the developer solution with another compatible acidic solution.
- 8. Minimal Quantity Generators (MQGs – generate less than 10 gallons total hazardous waste per year) and Very Small Quantity Generators (VSQGs – generate a total of 22 gallons or less hazardous waste per month) have another option: they may transport their own system cleaner waste to a VSQG collection site. For more information and a list of collection sites, see MPCA fact sheet #2.51 at
- 9. Managing Used Film, Negatives and Paper Containing Silver Because of the developing process, film, negatives and paper usually contain silver at or above regulatory levels. These items can be recycled and the silver recovered. Manage as hazardous waste or recycle all used silverbearing film, negatives and paper unless the waste evaluation shows the material is not hazardous. • Store all used silver-bearing film, paper and negatives in sturdy, closed containers.
- 10. Managing Used Film, Negatives and Paper Containing Silver If recycling, mark the container(s) with the words “Used Film, Negatives, or Paper for Recycling”. Keep shipping receipts for three years; report annually. • If managing as a hazardous waste, mark the container(s) with the words “Hazardous Waste” and “Used Film, Negatives or Paper” and the date the waste was first placed into the container(s). Use a hazardous waste transporter to take the waste to a hazardous waste disposal facility. This option requires that a hazardous waste manifest accompany the waste. Any hazardous waste transporter can pick up this waste; companies that pick up fixer solution often also pick up silver- bearing film, negatives and paper.
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