Darkroom + Septic Tank

[MPerson]

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There is a distinct possibility that our new house will have a septic tank system.

 

I have been researching this and have decided that should we have a septic tank system I will not put any of the darkroom chemicals into the system even though some household cleaners are far worse.

 

What has been an eye opener is the local council cannot give me help in where to take my used developers and fixer for safe disposal. I do not use a stop.

 

A minion at the county council thought it would be classed as industrial waste and I would be charged appropriately but I would also have to deliver it to my nearest centre some 25-30 miles away.

 

I plan on keeping discarded developer and fixer in the five litre containers that the distilled water comes in. Does anyone know if different developers when mixed react with each other? I use Diafine and Rodinal.

 

I have visions of black clothing, balaclava and surreptitiously carrying the containers to a road drain, under cover of darkness, and pouring it down. That, or befriending someone on mains sewerage.

 

Anyone on a septic tank in the UK have any tips?

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[andybarton]

Do a Google search for "darkroom chemicals septic tank". There are dozens of responses from Photonet, Amateur Photographer etc etc.

[rob_x2004]

In Aus it was never a problem. If you feel really bad about it you could drink the Rodinal leftovers on friday nights and put the remainder in a metal pan on the roof or up on a shelf in the back shed. In a year and six months you might have enough of a crust to scrape out and put in the bin. Our septic never stopped. The orses never turned wheels up eating the grass neither.

 

Ps ... Hang on theres a thread for guys like you with chemicals in tanks and keeping the curtains drawn. Military training too:rolleyes:.

[Bateleur]

Although not a specific reply to your query regarding septic tanks, I do though neutralize my developer by pouring in my stop into the same container before handing it into my local waste center . Fixer is another matter though and I always dilute it before handing it in. On the occasion that I have mistakenly mixed the three together I have had no adverse reaction. This document from Kodak may be more help though KODAK:FAQ:Waste Management

 

Regards

Charles

[Xmas]

Hi Andy

 

Organic chem not my fav, but there are three problems.

 

- the Rodinal cyclic is a derivative of paracetamol but can be toxic to others, e.g. don't feed even traces of paracetamol to pet moggie all 9x lifes used up, they have no tolerance.

- the Rodinal alkali is not as bad as drain cleaner, it is the same only more dilute, I'd not use lye, on drains

- the silver compounds in used fixer are toxic, but if you store the used fix and recover with one of the processes, like iron wool, the cleaned up liquid should be ok.

 

You need to google to confirm.

 

I'd be tempted to use Rodinal at 1:100 stand, and storm drain the cleaned up ex-fix liquid, at your volume it may be acceptable, to river authorities, they should know..

 

Kodak at Box 14 Hemel Hempstead used to recover all their silver, been round it once. Their effluent was inspected independently frequently.

 

Noel

[MPerson]

Thanks guys. A lot of the info out there is relevant to the US whereas here we can dump anything in the sewer system.

 

Noel - Yes, I mainly use Rodinal 1:100 or 1:200 stand dev so dilution levels are probably more acceptable.

 

Been trying to get on the ilfordphoto.com site all day. Apparently they have a heap of info but sod's law......

 

A buddy recommended the old "cat sanitation" method on the beach at low tide. Maybe I'll just ship it anonymously to Rob.

[chris_livsey]

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I have seen it recommended to dispose of fixer, the only "toxic" component for a septic tank AFAIK, by putting it outside to evaporate then disposing of the solid. I suspect I will recover from the sore sides I had from laughing eventually, being in the NW of England. Although if out in may and june it might have worked this year.

 

Seriously my concern would be the leaching of the chemicals in the wash water particularly if fibre based over the concentrates where disposing of 5Litres say at a friends should not pose a problem, unless you have very few friends

[rob_x2004]

Sorry Andy, I got held up behind the queue demanding hand inspection of their 100iso.

If you are still worried about your fragile septic do the ratbag thing and pour it all in the storm/gutter. Accepted, with your quants it wont make a difference so why worry about your polluting the waterways. Whats an endangered frog along the way and the channel is radioactive anyway.

If you decide on the green approach, and given concentrations of rodinal stand is a safe to one moggie per septic, I would chuck another one in so that between them they can handle the five point seven cc and stick with the one plus fifty. Strange place to keep cats but there you are. Are you a bird lover?

When I come to stay I promise to use the chamber pot to piss in at night so theres the stop bath equation taken care of forever.

Now that we are looking after our fixer better with the stop, and being of the the Greens, you stock fix dont you? So you will only be heaving a two or three litre every few weeks, far more envirinmental than the carbon footprint of steel wooling one shots. Personally I would let the pump out man handle the silvers, it will be safe where it is, have a cuppa with him and negotiate a valuable metals recovery discount on your regular if well spaced maintenence pumpouts.

And I promise to take life more seriously...hang on now the lines held up by a digital man who doesnt want his sensor fried. He is saying no to taking it out of the lead bag:(. So how are you washing your papers?

 

Ps ...

...outside to evaporate then disposing of the solid. I suspect I will recover from the sore sides I had from laughing eventually

 

Chris, you wont be alone. Be amusing to see what he could collect in a couple of years.

[StS]

(...)

I plan on keeping discarded developer and fixer in the five litre containers that the distilled water comes in. Does anyone know if different developers when mixed react with each other? I use Diafine and Rodinal. (...)

 

I discard everthing (developer, stop and fixer) in the same empty DI water container. No dramatic reaction yet...

 

For the record - it goes to the "problematic waste" collection of our council then, which is paid for by tax money.

 

Stefan

[tgray]

I'd store it up and take it to your community's hazardous waste disposal day.

[AlanG]

http://www.fau.edu/facilities/ehs/info/Photo-Chemicals-Safety.pdf

 

KODAK:FAQ:Information for Educators and Hobbyists

[MPerson]

Well seems that everyone takes the play safe line including Ilford and Kodak.

 

I also emailed a couple of the septic tank manufacturers who did say in small highly diluted quantities developers would be OK.

 

I then contacted the two main contractors in the area who do the regular sludge removal of the systems. Again no commitment as they take the sludge to the water company's sewage facility and have to pay for it to be processed.

 

But, I was contacted by a chap at Lydd-on-Sea and he has built his own soak away outside his darkroom, using the available materials - shingle/sand - from the beach. I am going to visit him this week between viewing houses.