Photographs

Traditional, glossy photographs are not acceptable in recycling because of the photographic chemical coatings in the paper. Old photographs are safe to throw in the trash. More modern photographs may or may not be recyclable depending on the printing process and the type of paper used. Home-printed photographs are acceptable in recycling. Earth 911 advises: “If your photograph tears in layers rather than cleanly ripping apart like pages in a magazine, you have an old-school photograph in your hands (which is not recyclable). If you see a clean tear, your photo was simply printed and isn’t contaminated with photographic chemicals” (and it is therefore safe to recycle.)