Can used photo paper be recycled?

July 13, 2007 12:41 AM

I need to get rid of a bunch of photos. Can they be recycled?

I have a ton* of photos I need to get rid of.

Most of the photos are from the last 20 years, but some are 50+.

I've read my local recycling guidelines and found nothing. Google has shown me lots of photos of recycling and offered to sell me recycled photo paper but hasn't given me any guidelines.

They've been shredded so can't be reused in an art project.

* Not really a ton.

posted by Ookseer to media & arts (8 comments total)

Call SF Environment and ask them.
posted by grouse at 3:01 AM on July 13, 2007

What sort of photos are they? Could there be any historical/genealogical value to them?

I really hate the thought of throwing out any kind of historical record without really looking hard at it to see if there isn't some value that isn't seen on the surface.
posted by pjern at 3:10 AM on July 13, 2007

He said they've been shredded.
posted by grouse at 3:30 AM on July 13, 2007

Photo paper is not recycleable. Most paper is made on a plastic base. Older photos may have a fiber base but unless you have several tons of the stuff then just give it to the local landfill. Plus seeing as you already shredded the stuff I doubt that you took the time to separate the fiber based prints from the plastic based.
posted by JJ86 at 5:58 AM on July 13, 2007

Sometimes... you just have to throw stuff away.
posted by The Deej at 6:19 AM on July 13, 2007

Also... just because they're shredded doesn't mean they couldn't be reused as an art project.

That being said, I don't think many artists would appreciate you bringing them a box of shredded pictures and making them decide whether to use them or throw them out.

I'd go with what The Deej says.... just throw them out and help the environment some other way.
posted by Zephyrial at 6:24 AM on July 13, 2007

And away they go.

There was no historical/genealogical interest in them. Thus the decision to bin them.

Thanks for the feedback all.
posted by Ookseer at 10:44 AM on July 13, 2007

For future reference:
Big photo labs have a way to reclaim the silver from old prints. The dinky one I worked in briefly had us send our waste in to the big lab a couple of times a year.
posted by unrepentanthippie at 10:31 PM on July 13, 2007