Recycling old chemicals

[TheGreatGasMaskMan]

So my previous College's photography department is remodeling and getting rid of a bunch of stuff- and They've got a lot of old liquid chemicals (I specifically remember some hc110s, and some toners, but I know there was more than that), and the head of the department doesn't know how to dispose of them. Maybe you guys could help...?

 

[Donald Qualls]

HC-110 concentrate from before about 2019, as far back as the 1990s (maybe longer) is almost certain to be still good -- even in partially full bottles it's likely to be fine. Same is true for genuine Rodinal and most of the Rodinal clones (A09, Apodinal, Adonal, etc.). Most toners (selenium, sepia, thiourea types) will last approximately forever in closed bottles; though bleach-redevelop color toners are less durable, if they're just the dye and dye coupler type they ought to last many years (it's the liquid developer that can fail). Fixers in liquid form will tend to sulfur (decomposition of the sulfite, then of the thiosulfate via sulfite) but I'm currently using Kodak Rapid Fixer from a concentrate bottle (set) that was originally opened in 2005 or so. Stop bath lasts forever if not being used.

Dry developers (that is, bags of dry chemical to be mixed with water) will last a very long time as long as the bag is airtight (I'm currently using Xtol that I mixed a few weeks ago, with a 2002 expiration on the two-envelope package).

 

[AgX]

Those chemicals not to be of any use in the darkroom (or elselwhere) have to be handed over to a chemical waste collection. (Here in the EU for common photographic baths ID-codes exist, to designate the containers.)

 

[fgorga]

From a retired chemistry professor and department head...

Tell the folks in the Art Department to talk to the folks in the Chemistry Department (or maybe another science department). The folks in the science building will have a contract for chemical waste disposal and will know whom to contact even if their contract does not cover photographic materials.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

No use wasting chemicals that are still good by disposing of them. Do a bit of homework and ask here to find which things are likely still good and sell them off on eBay or wherever. The rest you can simply take to the Hazmat collection site labeled, "photo chemicals" and they'll waste a lot of energy incinerating all of them for you .

Doremus

 

[mshchem]

I've seen recycling facilities that offer this kind of material for reuse to the public. The responsible thing to do is have it disposed of properly.

 

[TheGreatGasMaskMan]

HC-110 concentrate from before about 2019, as far back as the 1990s (maybe longer) is almost certain to be still good -- even in partially full bottles it's likely to be fine. Same is true for genuine Rodinal and most of the Rodinal clones (A09, Apodinal, Adonal, etc.). Most toners (selenium, sepia, thiourea types) will last approximately forever in closed bottles; though bleach-redevelop color toners are less durable, if they're just the dye and dye coupler type they ought to last many years (it's the liquid developer that can fail). Fixers in liquid form will tend to sulfur (decomposition of the sulfite, then of the thiosulfate via sulfite) but I'm currently using Kodak Rapid Fixer from a concentrate bottle (set) that was originally opened in 2005 or so. Stop bath lasts forever if not being used.

Dry developers (that is, bags of dry chemical to be mixed with water) will last a very long time as long as the bag is airtight (I'm currently using Xtol that I mixed a few weeks ago, with a 2002 expiration on the two-envelope package).

Even an already opened hc 110? There were a couple of those.

 

[TheGreatGasMaskMan]

From a retired chemistry professor and department head...

Tell the folks in the Art Department to talk to the folks in the Chemistry Department (or maybe another science department). The folks in the science building will have a contract for chemical waste disposal and will know whom to contact even if their contract does not cover photographic materials.

that's actually a great idea.

 

[TheGreatGasMaskMan]

I'll be back tomorrow. I'll see what's there and decide what to do.

 

[MattKing]

Even an already opened hc 110? There were a couple of those.

Quite likely.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Even an already opened hc 110? There were a couple of those.

One of the things the old, syrup-like HC-110 was legendary for was its longevity in an opened bottle. The only other commercial developer that lasted that well was Rodinal; either one, even in a partially full, previously opened and reclosed bottle should still last many years at room temperature.