Environment INFORMATION FROM KODAK J-300 $10.00 Environmental Guidelines for Amateur Photographers Kodak’s health, safety, and environmental publications are available to help you manage your photographic processing operations in a safe, environmentally sound and cost-effective manner. This publication will help amateur photographers know As a photographer, you have a photographer and charge for your unique sensitivity to the environ- services, you are required by law to how to safely handle ment around you. But, as an comply with certain environmental amateur photographer, you don’t and workplace safety regulations have to worry about the (some of which are covered in this and dispose of environmental and safety publication). As an amateur regulations that apply to photographer, you are not required photographic commercial businesses and by law to follow those regulations professional photographers. but we are providing processing chemicals. But you still need to know how to recommendations on safe handling safely handle and dispose of and waste management practices. photographic processing chemicals. SAFETY AMATEUR OR PROFESSIONAL? Chemicals are safe when handled properly—that’s why it’s important An amateur is someone who to know and understand the engages in an activity as a pastime chemicals you’re working with and rather than a profession. An the appropriate protective measures amateur photographer does not you should use when handling generate (or try to generate) revenue them. from the use of photography. When you become a professional ©Eastman Kodak Company, 1999 have a fresh-air supply duct to • Handling and Storage: special PERSONAL PROTECTIVE your darkroom, set your exhaust personal precautionary measures EQUIPMENT rate slightly higher than the and storage information. supply rate. This produces a slight When working with photographic • Exposure and Personal negative pressure and reduces the Protection: ventilation and what processing chemicals, you should chance of vapors or gases personal protective equipment is wear protective clothing to ensure escaping to an adjoining room. needed, such as gloves, goggles, your safety. Whenever the potential To determine how much exhaust etc. exists for chemicals to get in your per hour is required for your • Physical and Chemical Properties: eyes, wear safety glasses with side darkroom: such as pH, color, and odor. shields. When mixing chemicals, • Determine room volume • Stability and Reactivity: wear tight-fitting goggles. Wear (h x l x w) impervious gloves, such as those incompatibility with other •Multiply by 10 chemicals. made with Neoprene or Nitrile, to prevent contact with skin. You • Divide by 60 minutes • Health Information: such as should also wear an apron, or other Most darkrooms are 10’ h x 10’ l x symptoms of overexposure. protective clothing that is 8’ w which equals 800 cubic • Disposal Information: waste impervious to chemicals, to prevent feet (ft3). Therefore, management options for the chemicals from coming in contact product. with your clothing. Exhaust rate of 3 3 800 ft x 10 133 ft min for OBTAINING MSDSs x 10 = 10 room 60 min/hr VENTILATION changes per hour To get a copy of an MSDS for a Some Kodak photographic Kodak product, see your dealer or processing solutions may release retail store, or call us at vapors or gases that can irritate the MATERIAL SAFETY DATA 1-800-242-2424, ext. 25, or fax us at eyes and respiratory tract and have SHEETS 716-724-9656. Please provide the unpleasant odors. When processing catalog number (CAT No.) of each solutions are warm, they may A Material Safety Data Sheet Kodak product and your address. generate more vapors. In addition, (MSDS) is available for every Kodak Or visit Kodak Environmental temperature affects processing chemical you purchase. The MSDS Services on-line at times. Therefore, it is important that tells you how to use, handle, and www.kodak.com/go/kes. you work with solutions at the store the product safely. The content of MSDSs varies from one product proper temperatures. For your own MANAGING WASTE personal comfort and good health to the next. Among the topics covered are: practices, you should minimize the There are two types of waste—solid • Product Information: identifying concentration of these chemicals by wastes and processing effluent. controlling ventilation. We the name of the product and any other trade names. Most solid wastes are packaging recommend using a room with a materials. The waste produced from • Component Information: source of fresh air for darkroom use. processing photographic films and Here are some ventilation identifying what ingredients are in the product. papers is called photographic guidelines for manual sink-line or effluent; it includes developer, fixer, open tray processing areas: • Hazard Identification: hazardous bleaches, and wash water. There are components in the product and • Supply tempered fresh air to the many different ways to manage safe handling information. darkroom above the processing solid and effluent waste materials. solutions. Position the supply of • First Aid Measures: appropriate fresh air so that it will not affect emergency procedures and other the capture of vapors or gases by information. the exhaust opening. • Fire-Fighting Measures. • Exhaust the room air from the • Precautions to take if a spill processing chemical area to the occurs. outdoors at a minimum rate of 10 room volumes per hour1 If you 1. For 10 x 10 x 10-foot room 2 Environmental Guidelines for Amateur Photographers • J-300 REDUCING WASTE PHOTOGRAPHIC EFFLUENT The best way to help the environment—and yourself—is to Before you can decide how to use photographic processing dispose of photographic processing solutions efficiently. You can chemicals, you need to know what accomplish this by: type of waste disposal system you • Buying only the supplies you have. The type of system you have need. This way, you won’t be and the types of materials you need storing unused photoprocessing to dispose of will determine how chemicals past their you dispose of your waste. There are recommended shelf life and later, two types of waste disposal having to dispose of them. systems—sewer and septic. • Mixing only the amount of photographic processing chemicals you need; this way, you won’t have to dispose of additional materials. Amateur or Professional? You are likely a business selling some or all of your work and No Are you an amateur photographer therefore are covered by additional Start who does not sell your work? requirements. See “More Information” at the back of this publication. Yes If you process work at a school, Do you have a darkroom at home No studio, or other business, disposal where you process films and responsibility falls on the business papers? owner. See “More Information” at the back of this publication. Yes You are likely using a septic system for disposal of wastewater. Certain No Are you using a sewer for disposal of materials should not be sent to the your wastewater? septic system. See “Septic Systems” for more details. Yes Most common photographic chemicals may be safely disposed to the sewer. See “Sewer Systems” for more details. Environmental Guidelines for Amateur Photographers • J-300 3 and state regulatory limits photographic chemicals can be sent SEWER SYSTEMS established under the Clean Water to the sewer. They include: Act. In order to comply, the local • Developers The majority of wastewater POTW must establish pretreatment generated in our communities •Stop baths guidelines (commonly referred to as travels through the sewer system to • Fixers (after silver recovery) sewer codes) that impact businesses. a Publicly Owned Treatment Works As a domestic user—an amateur • Wash waters (POTW). The POTW is responsible photographer—you are excluded for treating the wastewater that Do NOT send: from these regulations. Most comes through its facility. The water • Selenium toners that leaves the POTW after •Solvents treatment must comply with federal • Other materials that are prohibited, i.e., flammable materials Your House City Disposal Trash Bin Sewer POTW H 2O 4 Environmental Guidelines for Amateur Photographers • J-300 WASTE MANAGEMENT SEPTIC SYSTEMS WASTE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS ALTERNATIVES FOR Septic tank systems are designed SEPTIC SYSTEMS If you are on a sewer system, the best and used for the disposal of way—and the most appropriate—is to domestic waste, primarily in areas Kodak does not recommend the use of dispose of your photographic processing where municipal sewers are septic systems for disposal of effluent through the sewer system. Most unavailable. They operate with photographic processing chemicals photographic processing solutions anaerobic (without oxygen) because the disposal of are biodegradable and are effectively biological action to treat the wastes photographic processing solutions treated when discharged to POTWs. discharged. This also includes leach may affect the proper operation of POTWs that have secondary fields and cesspools. the septic system. Other disposal (biological) wastewater treatment can Septic systems do not have the options are available for septic effectively treat the waste stream ability to properly treat system users, including household through the use of biological action, photographic processing solution waste collection facilities, discharge such as bacteria nutrients and waste. Regulations have been to a nearby municipal treatment aeration, to break down the waste it established by the United States plant, or a licensed hazardous waste receives so that it may be safely Environmental Protection Agency hauler. Table I provides a summary discharged to a body of water. (USEPA) and many states to of waste management options Photographic processing effluent minimize the potential of adversely which are available for Kodak includes developer, fixer, bleach, and affecting sources of underground products. wash water involved in processing drinking water. Although these films and papers. Two key regulations typically do not impact characteristics of photoprocessing domestic users, such as amateur effluent are pH and the concentration photographers, we recommend that of silver.