Handling Photographic Chemicals?

[Xia_Ke]

Well, got all my chemicals finally ordered last night. Should be here Monday according to UPS tracking. I'll be using:

Kodak HC-110 Developer
Kodak Indicator Stop Bath
Kodafix
Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent
Kodak Photo-Flo 200 Photographic Wetting Agent

I am curious what kind of precautions should I be taking with the handling and disposing of these. Should used developer be flushed down the toilet or can I do everything in the kitchen sink? Maybe the bathtub? Is the developer going to stain any of the said surfaces? Thanks again for all your help guys!

Aaron

[mjs1973]

I have only ever used photo chemisty in stainless steel sinks so I can't help you on the staining part. In my photo class, just about everything went down the drain. The only thing they didn't want us to dump was the developer (I think). The reason we didn't dump it was so they could run it throgh a system to extract the silver, that came off of the film. Not sure what they did with it after that, but I'm guessing it went down the drain as well.

You could call a local lab and see what they say about it. They may be able to reycle it.

[Xia_Ke]

Thanks Michael Unfortunately, no local labs in my area. I have stainless steel sinks in my kitchen but, not sure how comfortable I am having all the chemicals where food is prepared and dishes washed. Also, I live in an apartment, so I don't want to be staining sinks/tubs/toilets if I don't have to. I couldn't find much info on any of this stuff in the books I have as they're geared towards people who have fully set up darkrooms available to them. I'll have to do some Googling, see what I can find. Thanks again Michael

Aaron

[mjs1973]

Thanks Michael Unfortunately, no local labs in my area.

No Wallgreens or Walmart either?

Here is a link to a lab that I have used for B&W film in the past. You could contact them and see what they have to say about it.

http://www.photolandinc.com/

[Xia_Ke]

Thanks again Michael I have a Walmart in my town but, they do color processing only. B&W is a completely different set of chemicals from what I understood??? Anyway, after doing some searching, I did find a decent amount of info as well as a million tech documents on Kodak's site for everything from handling to disposal to silver collection, etc. From some skimming through, looks like I'm pretty much in the clear from worries since it'll just be a couple rolls here and there with b&w chemicals. Sounds like if I want to be a good guy though I should set aside my depleted fixer due to the silver content for proper disposal??? We'll see. Looks like I've got a bit more reading to do this weekend...LOL

Aaron

[Glasstream15]

First, welcome to an adventure. B&W photography and processing your own is a true kick and an adventure.

The chemicals are mostly harmless. The main thing is heavy metal in the fixer.

The developer is an alkaline (basic) solution. Actually helps clear drains. Just don't drink it. Stop bath is a very dilute solution of Acetic Acid (think VINEGAR) with Bromcresol Purple indicator to tell when it's no longer acidic enough. Fixer, also known by some old timers as "Hypo", is Sodium Thiosulfate which has a fantastic secondary usage as an antidote to cyanide poisoning.

If you are only processing a roll every now and then, you probably won't really want to save the mixed up chemicals. They don't have that great a shelf life. And the silver content in the hypo from one roll of film will be incredibly small. We used to run 1000 sheets of 14 X 17 X-Ray film through 5 gallons and get about a half an ounce. And in the 50 years my father was a pro, we never saved the fixer and the many years I had a darkroom developing film and prints, I never worried about it. Algore will scream, but for only a few rolls everynow and then, just dump it.

All of the above is only my personal experience and as always:

YMMV

[Xia_Ke]

Thank you very much for your input I'm guess I'll be doing somewhere in the neighborhood of 2-4 rolls of B&W film a week so shouldn't have too much of a worry should I? And it's just going to be film processing, no print making. At least no prints any time soon. I'll be scanning negatives to have printed.

[another view]

Trying not to incriminate myself, I'll say that the black Swanstone (poor man's Corian) sink in my kitchen hasn't been affected by darkroom chemistry...

Now if you have a septic system it might be a different story - they can be kind of touchy. I don't think you're doing enough to really worry about though.

[freygr]

Well, got all my chemicals finally ordered last night. Should be here Monday according to UPS tracking. I'll be using:

Kodak HC-110 Developer
Kodak Indicator Stop Bath
Kodafix
Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent
Kodak Photo-Flo 200 Photographic Wetting Agent

I am curious what kind of precautions should I be taking with the handling and disposing of these. Should used developer be flushed down the toilet or can I do everything in the kitchen sink? Maybe the bathtub? Is the developer going to stain any of the said surfaces? Thanks again for all your help guys!

Aaron

First buy tanks for film or trays for printing. All the chemicals can go down the drain. The stop bath is just like vinegar. The fixer removes the undeveloped silver from the film or photopaper. You don't want any undeveloped silver left in the film or paper. The washing of the film/paper has to remove all the fixer as the fixer will turn the paper yellow as the undeveloped silver will turn the paper or film black.

With film the loading and developing has to be done without ANY light (ie NOT even a safe light) after the stop bath light doesn't mater but with the film in a light tight film tank it doesn't mater. Printing with photo paper you can use a safe light as the photo paper is not sensitive to red light. There are some film that is not sensitive to red light and you can tray develop the cut film with a safe light, one of these films is X-Ray film. I've used X-Ray film scrapes to make B&W transparencies before.

[Xia_Ke]

Thanks av and freygr So septic system to worry about. Have town sewer. freygr thanks for the pointers. I'll just be doing film for now and scanning negatives. I have a have a lightproof changing bag for loading film reels. This is gonna be fun, I can't wait I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Aaron

[another view]

This is gonna be fun, I can't wait I'll let you guys know how it goes.

'bout friggin time! Just kidding, have fun with it. Take your time and make sure the temperatures are as close to spec as possible and work methodically. You've done plenty of research and I know you'll be successful. Remember, if you run into problems putting the film on the reel inside the changing bag, stuff all of it into the canister and take a break. Then wash your hands and try again. Good luck, and anxious to hear how it goes!

[Xia_Ke]

'bout friggin time!

Hey now! ...LOL What can I say, money is tight lately Besides, just think about how much better prepared I am now. Still no scanner though. Think I'm gonna end up selling a lens or 2 to fund that. Anybody looking for a good deal on a 300?

[freygr]

Hey now! ...LOL What can I say, money is tight lately Besides, just think about how much better prepared I am now. Still no scanner though. Think I'm gonna end up selling a lens or 2 to fund that. Anybody looking for a good deal on a 300?

You should not have to sell a lens to get a flat bed scanner. Many scanners have 35mm film back lights for scanning film. The read film scanners can be ordered refurbished online for not to much.