How to Recycle Disposable Cameras

Disposable cameras are a great item to recycle. Currently, 70 percent of the total cameras purchased in the United States are recycled, making them the most recycled item today. Find out how to do your part to save our environment.

Things You'll Need

• Used disposable cameras

Instructions

1. Find a development/processing site that recycles disposable cameras. Ask them specifically if they recycle disposable cameras after the processing is finished.

2. Drop the film off at the chosen retail site for normal processing. The staff member removes the film and the silver it contains in the photosensitive emulsion. They send the silver to a silver recovery center ready for recycle.

3. Note that film-manufacturing companies reload the empty cameras with fresh film before labeling and packaging them to sell again. This can happen three times before the camera outlives its usefulness.

4. Think outside the box. You can recycle your own disposable cameras if you have them. Contact Independent Photo Tech Service. They will send you a postage paid box in which to return several camera bodies. In addition, they will pay you 25 cents a pound for your trouble.

5. Accept used disposable cameras from any photo processing retail site that does not bother with recycling them. Their loss is your gain. Just discuss with the manager on duty what you need to do to pick them up. You can send your new treasure off to get the recycling money.

Tips & Warnings

• According to manufacturers, over 1 billion disposable cameras have been recycled since 1990.

Resources

• Independent Phototech Service will send a postage paid box.