Old photographs: what to do when throwing them away?
Due to the chemical development process, it is not possible to recycle
Time passes and memory starts to fail more and more often. Imagine what family stories and beautiful moments in life would be if it weren't for photography? However, they can start to bother you. Whether for lack of space, for not wanting to remember the loss of loved ones or even to make it easier to forget about partners, sometimes it is necessary to get rid of the photos. So, what to do with old photos giving soup at home?
Recycling is not possible
Anyone who has ever watched a film whose central theme is photography must have noted that the development process involves chemical substances, such as silver derivatives, in the processes of emulsion, fixation and stopping (see more here). Despite having photographic paper as its main material, it is not possible to carry out recycling exactly because there are chemical substances involved. This changes the picture if you are using plain paper and have printed the photos without the traditional developing process. In that case, recycling is possible!
There are other uses that we can give to old photos as well, such as the material's upcycle. See how to decorate your boxes!
How to discard?
If the photos are of any importance beyond sentimental value, it is possible to seek out museums and collectors to donate or sell the gems. If this is not the case, the best thing to do is to go to the city hall in your city and ask what is the procedure to dispose of them. Find out what are the obstacles that prevent them from being recycled in the selective collection and what to do with old photos...
now it's different
With technological advances, less and less paper is used to observe old memories. This is thanks to digital photographs, which can be stored on computers, tablets and other similar platforms. This saves photographic paper, which cannot be recycled.
Several electronics companies have already launched models of digital photo frames, which allow the exchange of photos within a specified period of time, in addition to avoiding the use of paper.
