photo chemistry is considered hazardous material and is also very bad
for the environment. you do NOT get rid of it by pouring it down the
drain. photo businesses/labs and professional photographers actually
have to inform their state that they are using such chemistry and prove
that they are appropriately disposing of it (for example, it has to be
treated to remove silver, or it gets sent off to a processing
facility). even if this is an amount that an amateur would use, all
these smaller amounts of chemistry disposal still eventually add up in
the environment over a period of time. if you care about the
environment, and don't want to break the law, you don't just "safely
pour it down the drain."

also, as far as the usefulness of this chemistry - it all has a shelf
life and i can't imagine any of it is still good.
--
Jennifer Uhrhane
[log in to unmask]
www.detailphoto.com

On May 26, 2004, at 6:30 PM, Mary L. Kirby wrote:

> I may be wrong because I am not familiar with the details of HAZ-Mat
> activities, but small amounts of photography chemicals  (amatuer
> darkroom
> amounts, individual photographer size stock) can often be safely poured
> down the drain, depending upon the chemical. If they are sealed in the
> orginal foil lined packages or the like, they can remain stable for a
> long time. Some darkroom chemicals are no more dangerous than staples
> in
> your kitchen (i.e. stop bath=acetic acid=vinegar). Hypo is different in
> that it cannot be taken internally.
>
> Is there a commercial photographer in town? Does (s)he still do
> darkroom
> work? Can you ask them? Know any active amatuer photographers? Nearby
> college which teaches photography?
>
> Much of what you have may still be commercially available to those who
> are interested and if you do not want to store the materials, maybe
> they
> can put them to good use. The two developers you named I personally am
> not familiar with because I never got into platinum work and other art
> photography methods. However, a college art dept or photography teacher
> might be of help.
>
> Mary Kirby
> Historic Upshur Museum
> [log in to unmask]
>
> On Wed, 26 May 2004 12:35:10 -0700 Rachel Hawthorn
> <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>> Hello,
>> While going through the 'vault' of the collection I'm working on, I
>> found some old photography chemicals. The museum used to have a wet
>> darkroom, but now everything is digital, and there is no practical
>> use for the chemistry.
>> The chemicals are old packages, packets and tubes of acid hypo,
>> platino developer, metol quinol developer and so on.
>> I don't know if there is an "ideal" storage method for these,
>> because we actually have a large collection of photography, and
>> photography was a pretty important tool in the development of the
>> west.
>> So, my question is...should these older chemicals be tossed, removed
>> by a hazardous materials professional, or kept for artifact/interest
>> purposes....we could feasably set up an exhibit of photographic
>> materials/tools and relevant photographs to the area from our
>> collection...so, opinions?
>> Thanks!
>> Rachel Hawthorn
>> Collection Intern
>> Historical Society of Idaho Springs
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> If I want to hear the pitter-patter of little feet, I'll put shoes
>> on my cat.
>>
>>
>>
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