How to dispose of paper developer properly

[ted_smith]

Somewhat tragically, I have a 5 litre can of Ilford Multigrade paper developer that I opened last year in July 2010, but have not used since for a variety of reasons (my room is not properly "Darkroomed" so it's a bit of a faff trying to do my own printing and my negative carrier is rubbish and I can't get round to getting a replacement).

It's now a fairly off brown nicotine colour. I gather I need to throw it out, but wha is the environmentally approved way fo disposing of it? I assume I can't throw it down the sink, or can I if I dilute with water?

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Dilute and flush.

Compared to the other stuff that gets flushed - poop, piss, various detergents, soaps, bactericides and what-have-you paper developer is positively nutritious to the Earth Mum. Developing agents are nothing but variations on bananas and oak tree bark, the carbonate is washing powder - limestone run-off - and the sulfite is sulfur salt and a lot less disruptive than table/road salt. I can pour sulfite on the vegetable patch, and do, whereas salt would sterilize it.

Far, far more pollution will be created by calling some disposal agency.

 

[Ian Grant]

Having worked for a licensed disposal company we used to take in huge quantities of dev, fix, and other wastes. OK we had a permit to discharge but it was just neutralise and dump (after fixer/Blix silver recovery).

The quantities you are asking about are trivial, just dilute & flush as Nicholas says.

Ian

 

[K-G]

Before dumping it, try it. I have used Multigrade developer in the same state as you describe and it worked fine, at least for working prints and contact sheets. For your final prints use fresh developer.

Karl-Gustaf

 

[R gould]

As others have said, dilute and flush,
Richard

 

[Rick A]

You ought to see how dark my Ethol LPD is, and developes beautifully. Alot of old pros preferred 'seasoned" developers over fresh.

 

[removed account4]

dilute it and mix it with something to neutralize its ph.

 

[PVia]

It's always a good idea to take ALL photo chems to the local haz waste disposal site, if you have any question at all about it's effect on the environment.

 

[2F/2F]

I'd try using it.

Why was it opened if you didn't use any of it?