Can Photos Be Recycled?
We all have a box somewhere in the backroom or garage full of old family photos. But the question what do we do with them when we no longer want them. Can photos be recycled?
Photographs are primarily made of paper, and so it would seem that they should be easy to recycle. But, unfortunately, the paper in photographs has been treated and coated with chemicals.
These old photographs were created using a chemical process that prints the picture on paper using chemicals. The paper absorbs the residue chemicals.
This means the paper is no longer able to be recycled, and your old family photos will have to be thrown into the trash bin. This is similar to the thermal paper used in receipt paper, which also should go in your trash can.
Luckily with the invention of the digital camera, we no longer create this waste. And, if you have printed photos more recently from your digital camera at home, these can be recycled just the same as your regular office paper.
So how can you tell if your photos can be recycled?
It’s easy, tear the corner of the photo, and if the tear is a clean slice like a piece of paper or magazine, it can be recycled. However, if the tear exposes layers, it is probably chemically treated photographic paper and will need to go into the trash.
If you are still not sure then it’s best to avoid wish cycling and put it into the trash so that you do not contaminate other recyclable paper.
Want more tips on how to recycle?
Check out these articles or go to our blog.
