SILVER RECOVERY
Project Overview
Beginning back in 2007, the School of Art at 1156 Chapel Street agreed to have a silver recovery unit installed in both the undergraduate and graduate developing areas. The recovery cartridges collect the silver from the used fixer waste stream and the effluent is safe for drain disposal. A year later, the School of Art also decided to change most of their processing to digital photography, reducing hazardous waste generation even further.
Changes
- 2 Silver recovery units installed and maintained by EHS.
- Effluent tested monthly to ensure no material is being improperly put down the drain.
- Most students then changed to digital photography reducing waste and chemical handling further.
Benefits
- Elimination of 1880 gallons of hazardous waste a year .
- Reduction in ergonomic hazards associated with handling and transporting waste.
- Elimination of storage and handling of stock chemicals .
- Approximately $6000 annual cost savings for Yale.
