RA4 Dev/Blix disposal?

perkeleellinen · Sep 6, 2009

Down the drain or off to a hazardous waste centre?

Photo Engineer · Sep 6, 2009

perkeleellinen said:
Down the drain or off to a hazardous waste centre?

Down the drain with lots of water.

In fact, blix is very similar to Miracid minus the copper. If used there is some silver halide.

Of course, this depends on the rules where you live. Some areas forbid all chemicals in drains.

PE

perkeleellinen · Sep 6, 2009

I've been dumping B&W chemicals down the drain with lots of water and no problems. I'll do the same for this stuff, then. Thanks.

Some threads I found online suggested colour chemistry can corrode waste water pipes.

Photo Engineer · Sep 6, 2009

Color chemistry will destroy copper containing materials. Usually, copper is not used on exit lines, a type of cast iron is and it is as resistant to this chemistry as it is to water and B&W chemistry.

PE

fotch · Sep 6, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
Down the drain with lots of water.

In fact, blix is very similar to Miracid minus the copper. If used there is some silver halide.

Of course, this depends on the rules where you live. Some areas forbid all chemicals in drains.

PE

How about a septic system?

Photo Engineer · Sep 6, 2009

Fotch;

IDK. If B&W goes into the system then color should as well.

PE

PVia · Sep 7, 2009

No chemicals should go down the drain. Those who say they see no problems mean on they're not aware of any.

It's always best to take your chems to your local toxic waste facility. Do the right thing...

Photo Engineer · Sep 7, 2009

PVia;

Do you use a dishwasher or clothes washer? If so, the chemicals go down the drain. Do you take any medications? If so, the metabolic products and some of the chemicals go down the drain. Do you pour coffee down the drain? Aaaaa, Caffeinol developer! How about salad dressing? Stop bath!

Do you have a swimming pool? If so, the backwash goes down the drain with algaecide and chlorine among others. Do you use pesticides on your lawn?

Oh, and in your area, how well do the chip makers dispose of the arsenic, lead, gallium and other heavy metals used to make chips? How well do you dispose of old electronic equipment? Garbage or Toxic waste?

In the final analysis, we can be purists or we can be practical. Do what is best for you, but the small quantity the average photographer produces in the lab is easily washed away. Most of the chemicals are metabolized in waste treatment plants.

PE

PVia · Sep 7, 2009

OK...

I use a dishwasher and clothes washer, always with a biodegradeable detergent.

I take no medications. Coffee goes down my drain, grounds in the garden.

No swimming pool here, although I live in the land of pools.

No pesticides on lawn or in garden.

Electronic waste is accepted by the local waste facility, just brought a TV there.

What industry does, doesn't justify what we as small users do or nudge us to abdicate our responsibility to our communities.

In our modern world we will never be able to eliminate 100% our impact on our surroundings, but at least I know that I'm not releasing any more chemicals than necessary. I'm not a purist or enviro-nut, and yes, I used to dump devs, stops and fixes, but after starting on gum prints, which use pot dichromate, a definite no-no, I decided to bottle everything when finished and make a 4x a year trip to the facility. My conscience is clear and my photography's conscience is clear ;-) and I feel that photographers should own up to their part, however small or minute, of their impact.

Photo Engineer · Sep 7, 2009

Good for you. Each and every one of us should do what they feel morally obliged to do, but at the same time, they should not freak out. That is my point. If you feel comfortable and the law in your area is obeyed, then things are fine as far as we can take them.

Oh, and I forgot garbage disposal in the sink in my list above and lots more.

PE

John Shriver · Sep 8, 2009

Kodak has the facts at http://www.kodak.com/global/en/corp/environment/kes/pubs/pdfs/j300.pdf

There was a time Kodak was sloppy with waste disposal (the site of the 1 Choke Cherry Road Kodachrome processing plant is now a Superfund site), but they are clean now, and are very responsible about providing accurate information.

The only thing that isn't biodegradable is the silver in the fixer and bleach. Since silver is a cumulative toxin like mercury, you want to divert it. Use steel wool to extract the silver before disposing of fixer or bleach. This is so easy it's silly not to do it, even if you're not required to do it.

Alternately, bring the fixer and bleach to any 1-hour lab that properly does silver recovery. (I'd suspect that almost all do.) If they have half a brain, they will accept it gratefully, since they will recover and SELL the silver. You would be giving them something for nothing.

RA4 Dev/Blix disposal?

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