Guidance

T30: recovering silver from photography and printing

T30 exemption allows you to recover silver from waste produced in connection with printing or photography.

Applies to England

There’s a charge for most waste exemptions

This exemption is in band 2. Read waste exemption charges to find out what the charges and charging bands are.

Types of activity you can carry out

These include:

  • extracting silver from photographic films or paper to use again
  • using an on-site contained unit to remove silver from fixer and developer solutions

Types of activity you cannot carry out

You cannot mix hazardous waste with other hazardous or non-hazardous waste.

Types of waste you can treat

The waste codes are those listed in the List of Wastes (LoW) Regulations. You need to make sure your waste fits within the relevant waste code and description.

Waste code Type of waste
09 01 06* Waste containing silver from on-site treatment of photographic waste
09 01 07 Photographic film or paper containing silver or silver compounds

(*) An asterisk at the end of a code means the waste is hazardous.

Quantity of waste you can treat

You can store or treat up to 1,000 litres of waste at any one time.

Key conditions

The treatment and storage of the waste is carried out in an area with sealed drainage.

Register this exemption

You need to register this exemption with the Environment Agency if you meet the requirements.

Definitions

Hazardous waste – see how to classify different types of waste.

Sealed drainage – a drainage system with an impermeable surface that makes sure that:

  • no liquid will run off the surface apart from via the system
  • except where they may be lawfully discharged, all liquids entering the system are collected in a sealed sump

Updates to this page

Published 28 April 2014
Last updated 1 July 2025 show all updates
  1. Updated with a link to new information about charges and charging bands for waste exemptions.

  2. First published.

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