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  #1  
Old 17th May 2016, 07:27 PM
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Rob Archer Rob Archer is offline
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Default Old chemicals

I've just been given 2 large boxes of raw photographic chemicals - many of which I can use. A real treasure is about 350g of amidol, something I've wanted to try for ages. Unfortunately there are also a lot of stuff that is marked 'harmful', 'poisonous' and in one case (ammonium chloride) explosive. I don't really want to have dangerous chemicals around that I'm not going to use. Any advice on how to pass them on to someone who might be able to use or dispose of them?

I'll put a list of the 'iffy' stuff on here once I've gone through it all. The guy was into alternative and historic processes but is now in his late 80s on not able to sort it himself.
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Old 17th May 2016, 08:51 PM
Chrisvclick Chrisvclick is offline
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Shame you are so far away from me
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Old 17th May 2016, 11:28 PM
paulc paulc is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Archer View Post
I don't really want to have dangerous chemicals around that I'm not going to use. Any advice on how to pass them on to someone who might be able to use or dispose of them?
For safe disposal, try contacting your local council and ask when the next amnesty is for hazardous chemicals. Failing that, passing them on to someone that can use them is a good idea...

But please bear in mind, many chemicals can not be posted via Royal Mail - This includes both ammonium & potassium dicromates along with anything else that may be toxic. Hermes will carry just about anything, no questions asked.
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Old 19th May 2016, 04:23 PM
ashfaque ashfaque is offline
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Hi Rob,

I'm sure FADU members will be interested in some of those once you post the item list.

If not, you could try you local freecycle group (https://www.freecycle.org/). Another option is to post on APUG.

Bests,
Ashfaque
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Last edited by ashfaque; 19th May 2016 at 04:26 PM. Reason: link added
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Old 21st May 2016, 07:45 PM
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Default List of chemicals

Here's a list of the chemicals I've been given but am very unlikely to use. They are very old (possibly up to 50 years!) so I can't vouch for their quality. I did mix up some amidol print dev (Ansco 113) and it was excellent (more on this later in another thread!).

Sodium Hexametaphosphate (Calgon)

tri-potassium citrate

Polyvinyl alcohol powder

Colophony resin

Sodium citrate

NN-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine sulphate

Chloroquinol

Succinic acid

Ammonium dichromate

Ammonium chloride

Cuporic chloride

All except the calgon are marked as harmful.

Anyone is welcome to any of it but will have to collect as posting them is a lot oif aggro (or illegal!)

PM me if you're interested.
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Old 21st May 2016, 08:42 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Chemicals

I cannot say for certain but if one of the chemicals you mention and acknowledge is explosive, by hanging onto it you may be committing a criminal offence under on or more of the Explosives Acts.

As you have been given the items in good faith then you should as a duty, contact the local authority, explain how they came into your possession and control and you want to get rid of them safely and as soon as possible. (I believe that ammonium chloride used to ued in the main as fertiliser and an additive for fireworks).

Last edited by John King; 21st May 2016 at 09:07 PM.
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Old 21st May 2016, 09:45 PM
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That's why I'm keen to be rid of them. I've already spoken to my local authority but the guy didn't have much of a clue and said he'd get back to me. They're secure in my darkroom at the moment.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
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Old 22nd May 2016, 12:53 PM
les dix les dix is offline
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Hi Rob,
I am a chemist by profession. I am suprised that Ammonium chloride is labelled explosive -it is not according to the safety sheets we use but it is toxic and an irritant. It was used in fireworks to enhance certain colours and if heated it gives off ammonia and hydrogen chloride -nasty. Once dissolved in water ammonium chloride becomes innocuous and in sufficient dilution it should safe to dispose of down the sink in small quantities, as is the case for most darkroom chemicals.

Poly vinyl alcohol is only a dust hazard - it is actually children's glue in powder form! In water it degrades in the presence of sunlight and is in fact sometimes used as laundry bags which dissolve in hot water so can be flung into an industrial washing machine.

The only chemicals I would avoid disposing of are the cupric chloride and ammonium dichromate which contain heavy metals. We never dispose of these down the sink contractors to take them away. Also the
NN-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine sulphate and Chloroquinol as these are toxic. As for Colophony resin - I did not know it but apparently that is another name for Rosin- a natural pine sap and quite harmless.

Good luck. A few years ago you might have been able to give them to a school or university but probably not these days.

Les
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Old 19th November 2019, 05:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Archer View Post
Here's a list of the chemicals I've been given but am very unlikely to use. They are very old (possibly up to 50 years!) so I can't vouch for their quality. I did mix up some amidol print dev (Ansco 113) and it was excellent (more on this later in another thread!).

Sodium Hexametaphosphate (Calgon)

tri-potassium citrate

Polyvinyl alcohol powder

Colophony resin

Sodium citrate

NN-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine sulphate

Chloroquinol

Succinic acid

Ammonium dichromate

Ammonium chloride

Cuporic chloride

All except the calgon are marked as harmful.

Anyone is welcome to any of it but will have to collect as posting them is a lot oif aggro (or illegal!)

PM me if you're interested.
I've still got these if anyone's interested in any of it. Local authority didn't want to know!
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Old 19th November 2019, 05:40 PM
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Rob,

The Ammonium dichromate can be used in Gum Printing if anyone here uses that process? The Cuporic chloride may possibly be useful in copper bleach or toning?
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