Darkroom chemestry and a septic system (Page 2): Labs have strict EPA regulations to abide. Most color chemicals are carcinogenic or toxic. ALL silver-laden bleaches, "blix", fixers...

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

selmslie wrote:

I had a darkroom for 35 years in a house with a se... (show quote)

Labs have strict EPA regulations to abide.

Most color chemicals are carcinogenic or toxic. ALL silver-laden bleaches, "blix", fixers, hypo-clearing agents, and wash water must be run through two-level, electrolytic silver recovery systems.

At what is now the Lifetouch lab in Charlotte, various authorities would sample our waste water regularly, and on a surprise basis, to be sure our effluent met the standards, or was cleaner.

Of course, with 40+ mini labs, we cranked out enough paper to reclaim hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of silver...

Darkroom317 Loc: Mishawaka, IN

Here are a couple of nice threads on the subject over at Analog Photography Users Group (APUG) on the subject

http://www.apug.org/forum/index.php?threads/chemicals-and-septic-tank.98135/

http://www.apug.org/forum/index.php?threads/help-chemical-disposal-options.64945/#post-920556

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

jaymatt wrote:

I do. He is, as they say, a trained professional who knows his job. He wasn't just some guy off the street running a truck.

You mean like Ed Norton on "The Honeymooners"?

UPDATE: I just checked and was unable to find AA, BA, BS or certification in sewer science/technology.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

NIKONADDICT wrote:

I am in the process of building a house that has a septic system. A darkroom will be in the basement. What will T-Max, Kodak stop and fix do to my septic system? I dont think that color chemistry will be an issue as Illfochrome soup is almost non-existant.

I have had a darkroom over 40 yrs haven't used it for the last 16 yrs. never had a problem with the septic system. If it bothers you place the used chemicals in a bucket with ventilated lid and allow the liquid to evaporate.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Manglesphoto wrote:

I have had a darkroom over 40 yrs haven't used it for the last 16 yrs. never had a problem with the septic system. If it bothers you place the used chemicals in a bucket with ventilated lid and allow the liquid to evaporate.

I just take mine to San Francisco and leave it along Market Street; somebody will steal it and drink it.

Zone-System-Grandpa Loc: Springfield, Ohio

jaymatt wrote:

I do. He is, as they say, a trained professional who knows his job. He wasn't just some guy off the street running a truck.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Being that the man who was servicing your septic tank was the owner of the business, did you really expect him to say anything negative or different that would end up affecting his business ? Of course, a retired English teacher wouldn't think of such, especially, if he was more concerned about his nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, etc......

Szalajj Loc: Salem, NH

It might not harm your septic system, but the harm caused by the ground water contamination should be of a major concern.

Would you want to be drinking your well water if you found out that your neighbors septic system had contaminated your ground water source?

Case in point, there is an entire 3 street neighborhood in the Wells, ME area that is now an abandoned Super Site, due to ground water contamination. All of those homes were on well water. The contaminants came from a commercial operation nearly a mile away.

So, those of you simply "Dumping" your used darkroom chemicals into your septic systems really need to think about the resulting environmental damages that you are causing by your CARELESS disposal of those chemicals.

Jrhoffman75 Loc: Conway, New Hampshire

Szalajj is right on. Private or town sewage systems are not magic treatment facilities. Basically, if you didn't, couldn't or wouldn't eat it it shouldn't go into the sewage system.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Jrhoffman75 wrote:

Szalajj is right on. Private or town sewage systems are not magic treatment facilities. Basically, if you didn't, couldn't or wouldn't eat it it shouldn't go into the sewage system.

So much for laundry detergent. Guess we'll have to send our clothes out. Maybe not wash our cars either.

We need to use some common sense. Extreme positions are easily refuted.

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

burkphoto wrote:

Silver is a toxic heavy metal. The EPA basically banned photo labs from discharging it into sewer systems several decades ago. Fortunately, silver recovery pays for itself.

Years back, I worked in a small B&W film processing business. We paid for our chemicals with money from recovered silver.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

JohnK wrote:

Not sure, the stop is close to vinegar so not a problem. I am trying to remember from too long ago the chemicals involved, fixer is predominantly sodium thiosulfate. When in high school I experimented with a lot of developers and would make them up from scratch. I would think that running a lot of water when discarding them would me a good idea. Dilution is the solution....

Considering the amount of chemicals being dumped (non-commercial usage) and the size of septic tanks (1000 -1500 gal?), I think it would take a lot of dilution to make a difference, but ask your septic system contractor; he may have a source he can refer you to for the question. Your town or county might not be too happy to have those chemicals ending up in the water table.

Jrhoffman75 Loc: Conway, New Hampshire

Actually, detergents can impact proper septic system functioning, which is why many private sewage system designs have a "gray water" tank for sinks and washing machines and a "black water" tank for human waste.

Dumping chemicals can impact system functioning as well as pollute the groundwater.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Jrhoffman75 wrote:

Actually, detergents can impact proper septic system functioning, which is why many private sewage system designs have a "gray water" tank for sinks and washing machines and a "black water" tank for human waste.

Dumping chemicals can impact system functioning as well as pollute the groundwater.

I'm pretty sure that laundry and dishwasher detergent volumes for two adults and two teenagers are more detrimental to the septic tank than the small volume of darkroom chemicals most amateurs use.

As for the ground water, lawn fertilizers, weed killer and insecticides are far worse than car soap.

A home darkroom supporting one part-time photographer is a far cry from Love Canal or other extreme examples.

It's also good practice to regularly dump a few packets of yeast down the toilet to keep the process going.

Szalajj Loc: Salem, NH

My childhood home had a septic system, we chose not to connect to town sewage when they installed it in the 70's, simply because of the cost to connect, and the recurring costs after connecting.

The house was purchased around 1952. In 1958, my father clogged the drain from our basement septub to our septic system. Since then, our washing machine waste water was pumped out onto our back lawn. The health of the septic system resulted in never having it pumped out, until the house was sold in 2006. Even then, there was very little to pump, which surprised the driver from the service, until he learned that there hadn't been any washing machine waste going into the septic system for over 40 years.

There were no active wells in the area, all of the houses and businesses were on town supplied water. The housing lots sat upon a sand and gravel base for at least a mile around. The neighborhood used to be an active cattle and apple farm until the late 40's or early 50's.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

selmslie wrote:

I had a darkroom for 35 years in a house with a se... (show quote)

there are silver recovery systems that may be installed in a darkroom setup. they were expensive when i purchased mine, but over the years, the system has worked well. don't know if it would be needed for a non-commercial developing and printing.