Also, all the medicines people take in a small city are a bigger harm to waste water than the few Velvia 100 rolls developed over the whole country.What amazes me is that you can freely buy as many paracetamol tablets as you like, when even a moderate overdose can severely damage your liver and even be fatal. In contrast, several comparatively innocuous substances are either verboten or severely restricted.
Labs may refuse to develop this film after Sept so freezing it to store for the future is of no value unless you develop yourself. Personally, I don't like Velvia 100 and continue to use Velvia 50. But in 4x5 size, I have to order directly from Japan at high costs for the film and shipping. Maybe this will change after Sept and 4x5 Velvia 50 will be sold in America again.The relevant chemical has been classified as a 'Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemical' (PBT) in the US. In the EU it is still under review. So count on it being banned there as well, eventually.
And when you read the EPA ruling you'll realise that it also becomes illegal to process Velvia 100 after the September deadline. That may well be why Fuji stops sales immediately. To give time to use and process all remaining product in US circulation.
Release into water seems to be the primary concern, and hence I think there was no chance for film to get an exception.
I wonder if the reason that Fuji is not planning to reformulate Velvia 100 is that they have already stopped producing it and are satisfying what little demand there is for it from their store of frozen master rolls. In the past, members of the forum have speculated that that is the reason they have discontinued certain other films.
Far more likely is that Fuji's calendar for scheduled replacement of components has been shredded by COVID affecting research/ testing/ coating - I would not be surprised if the problem that affected NPH was due to a very similar component issue. It may be that due to COVID affecting work up the R&D chain, a coating of Velvia 100 with the component substituted out has been pushed back weeks/ months.
Why do you think that is the far more likely scenario?
Anybody know off how many 36 exposure rolls you can get off a master roll?
Anybody know how many rolls of Velvia 100 Fuji sold last year?
The urgent short notice of the product withdrawal for a start. Normally they would reflect a much longer lead-in to EOL of the product.
Expect higher prices
Speaking of higher prices, Ektachrome at B&H is $19.99/roll. Wasn't it something like $11.99/roll when it was reintroduced in 2018?
the fuji drama never ends.
It's pretty typical of US Government action. While egregious polluters with obvious serious environmental and health consequences are ignored due to social or political influence (e-waste, cell phones etc.), they tend to go after low-hanging fruit that doesn't have high visibility support. In other words, they like to champion changes against under represented groups, irregardless of logic.
Baby with the bathwater; I am all for logical regulation, but this is NOT logical unless it is applied across the board. Therein lies the rub...Fuji has always been somewhat secretive, so guess all you want; I doubt any of us know the real answer. As far US agencies are concerned, there's obviously a lot of ignorance out there. EPA is responsible for the control of poisonous or carcinogenic contamination of the air, water, etc. Medicinal products and drugs are under FDA responsibility. And in many instances, general air quality is up to State agencies. Sometimes these various bureaucracies have conflicting interests.
For example, here in California, certain paint solvents were banned as smog-forming, so certain manufacturers substituted downright carcinogenic solvents for awhile, but which didn't created smog. It took awhile to iron that contradiction out via newer more specific rules. But then they began substituting a nonflammable non-smog ingredient that turned out to have anesthetic properties, so house painters were dying by falling off ladders. So back to the drawing board. Eventually more realistic formulations turned up, but with certain compromises in product quality, higher price, etc - always a tradeoff.
I've seen it all at close range over the years. And I go back as far as when people were condemning the government for banning asbestos in household products, or grinding and sawing it in workplaces, likewise arsenical ingredients, or when monster chemicals like pentachlorophenol and dioxin-laded fluids could be purchased right off retail shelves, not to mention carcinogenic pesticides. All agencies have their foibles. But if you really want to rant at the EPA, blame them for the fact people tend to live a lot longer now than they used to. And if you can't tolerate that fact, and are wistful about old times, then set up your own moonshine still and distill some creosote, and drink that.
that's the magic of the internet, just get enough people to make a big enough stink and then the corporations listen.Kino - Corporations big enough to have their own legal armies can obviously defend themselves a lot longer and better than the little guy. Unfair, yes; but that's how it is with everything, not just enviro regulations. Fuji is a large corporation, but Velvia 100 is tiny in the overall scheme of things and maybe not worth the fuss. Maybe they will get around to it. I dunno. But be careful what you wish for. They listened to us and put ACROS b&w roll film back into production, but at dramatically higher price.
Kino - Corporations big enough to have their own legal armies can obviously defend themselves a lot longer and better than the little guy. Unfair, yes; but that's how it is with everything, not just enviro regulations. Fuji is a large corporation, but Velvia 100 is tiny in the overall scheme of things and maybe not worth the fuss. Maybe they will get around to it. I dunno. But be careful what you wish for. They listened to us and put ACROS b&w roll film back into production, but at dramatically higher price.
OK, agreed. Can this include a discussion of how to mount a campaign to convince Fuji to reformulate the film stock?Shall we all agree that this thread is about the availability of a film, and only tangentially related to politics?
It would be unfortunate if we had to lock it and/or move it to the Soap Box.
OK, agreed. Can this include a discussion of how to mount a campaign to convince Fuji to reformulate the film stock?
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