Photo_Smith
Well-known
I'd like to touch on the above environmental concerns.
In the very near past laboratories were (at least in Europe) responsible for making sure all chemicals used during the processing of film and papers were disposed of environmentally.
In 1992 laws passed here in the EU made it mandatory for all labs to have wash water tested for trace elements too–we were tested at least twice a year–an unannounced test from the local water authority.
Most processors went to the cartridge based model, where super stabilisers were used instead of wash-all 100% recovered.
The effluent was collected by a company on a month by month basis from the 5000 L tank and we were charged depending on the cost of disposal vs recovery of silver.
Basically after 1992 it was against the law to put any chemicals to ground.
B&W Chemicals used by consumers are less of a problem, developers being mainly organic benzine derivatives which break down during water/sewerage treatment.
Fixer was silver bearing so many had to dispose according to the law in their area, we as a lab accepted fixer from photographers for a small fee.
It is much harder to assess the pollutants from ink jet printing and digital as a whole so I'm not going to.
I think if you live any sort of modern life, drive a car, travel on a plain, heat your house, clean your toilet, change your phone every two years etc.
you have far more impact on the planet than film photography has at least here in Europe since 1992.
Trouble with the issue is most people think chemical=bad without thinking about their daily use of shower/oven/toilet cleaners etc
There are substances currently used in the manufacture of PCB's that are deadly, some of those very chemicals used to be in silver Photo paper too until the 1980's when Photographic companies were told to stop using them.
In the very near past laboratories were (at least in Europe) responsible for making sure all chemicals used during the processing of film and papers were disposed of environmentally.
In 1992 laws passed here in the EU made it mandatory for all labs to have wash water tested for trace elements too–we were tested at least twice a year–an unannounced test from the local water authority.
Most processors went to the cartridge based model, where super stabilisers were used instead of wash-all 100% recovered.
The effluent was collected by a company on a month by month basis from the 5000 L tank and we were charged depending on the cost of disposal vs recovery of silver.
Basically after 1992 it was against the law to put any chemicals to ground.
B&W Chemicals used by consumers are less of a problem, developers being mainly organic benzine derivatives which break down during water/sewerage treatment.
Fixer was silver bearing so many had to dispose according to the law in their area, we as a lab accepted fixer from photographers for a small fee.
It is much harder to assess the pollutants from ink jet printing and digital as a whole so I'm not going to.
I think if you live any sort of modern life, drive a car, travel on a plain, heat your house, clean your toilet, change your phone every two years etc.
you have far more impact on the planet than film photography has at least here in Europe since 1992.
Trouble with the issue is most people think chemical=bad without thinking about their daily use of shower/oven/toilet cleaners etc
There are substances currently used in the manufacture of PCB's that are deadly, some of those very chemicals used to be in silver Photo paper too until the 1980's when Photographic companies were told to stop using them.
