Liquid Chemistry
For Black and White Films and Prints
No. Like all other fixers, once used, RECORD Speed Fixer will contain the silver that has been removed from the film or paper that was processed. Residual silver is considered hazardous, and should not be allowed to enter waste treatment systems or ground water. You should check with the appropriate authority in your state to see what the exact requirements are.
There are a number of methods that can be employed to keep the silver out of the waste stream. Generally it’s as simple as collecting the spent fixer in a container and having that hauled off for treatment. The cost will vary depending on the volume. We suggest checking with your state Department of Environmental Management to see what the regulations are in your area, they may be able to recommend specific options for disposal in your area.
Q: How do I dispose of used darkroom chemicals?
In general, used darkroom chemicals, except fixer, may be disposed of in a municipal sewer system if one has a home-based darkroom. Used solutions should never be disposed of in a septic system. Septic systems are designed for biological treatment of standard household waste, and do not properly treat chemical wastes associated with photographic processing.
Photographic processing facilities, such as schools, labs, and professional photographers’ studios, must comply with stricter regulations than home users. Federal guidelines for waste disposal are usually administered by local/state/regional sewer authorities, who have the power to enforce the regulations. Managers of educational, commercial and professional darkrooms should begin by contacting these agencies to obtain guidelines. Please note that some local regulations may be stricter than federal ones; they may require lower levels of chemicals in the effluent. It may be necessary to obtain a permit from the local/state/regional sewer authority to discharge photolab effluents into the sewer line.
Used fixer, because it contains dissolved silver, requires special attention. For home-based darkrooms, there may be specific limits on the amount of dissolved silver allowed in the effluent. Commercial users must process fixer in a silver recovery system or have it taken away by a waste disposal company.
Kodak has some great publications on waste management for darkrooms on their website, www.kodak.com. Choose the Environmental Topics/disposal tab on the Kodak homepage, and download the waste management publications, number J-410 and J-411, “An Introduction to Waste Management Options for Photographic Processing Facilities” and “Dealing with Hazardous Waste and Processing Effluents at Photographic Processing Facilities.” Kodak has essays on health and safety in the darkroom as well.
Q: How do I know when my Sprint working solutions are exhausted?
Sprint BLOCK Stop Bath, in working solution form, will change from yellow to lavender when exhausted. When using BLOCK, QUICK SILVER Print Developer, and RECORD Speed Fixer simultaneously, the lavender colored exhaustion of Block will signal exhaustion in all three solutions.
For shelf life purposes, Sprint ARCHIVE Fixer Remover also has a color indicator which turns from blue to green to yellow as the life of the product progresses. ARCHIVE should be replaced when it turns yellow.
