Recommendations for Photofinishing Laboratories

Summary

• Effluent volumes greater than 10,000 cubic metres (10 million litres) per annum, including wash-water.
• Recommended that efficient in-house silver-recovery technology and/or haulaway be used, as appropriate. 
• Charges for such operations will not be fixed but will be calculated by the local Water Services Company using a “Mogden”-type formula.

Recommendation

These laboratories must have a ‘Consent to Discharge Trade Effluent’ and meet all its terms and conditions. However, the charging system will not be fixed and will use the standard Mogden Formula. using the actual COD, etc., figures from the premises obtained by the Water Services Companies. Hence, each laboratory will be treated separately by the Water Service Companies even if they are in the same region.

To comply with this code of practice, the laboratory must satisfy the same requirements as the General Photographic Laboratory, but the water usage will be greater than 10,000 cubic metres (10 million litres) per annum. This would equate with a consented effluent volume of 40 m3/day.

Notes to the Code

Water consumption is as measured by the premises' incoming water meter or sub-meter to the process. If water recycling is used, the original volume used prior to recycling should be utilised to establish into which category the laboratory falls.

Exclusions from the Code

This code of practice is not intended to apply to businesses engaged in the use of reprographic photolitho, fast print shops, or printing.

It is not applicable where photographic and other imaging products are manufactured.

Any company whose business also uses non-photographic processes should apply the Code of Practice only to their photo-processing effluent.