If you've ever been to an x-ray appointment, you might have been told to bring any x-rays from the last two years with you. But what to do with them once they're older than that? Well it turns out, you can recycle them - but it's not as simple as tossing them in your kerbside recycling bin (although it's still pretty easy!).
Should we recycle all x-rays?
Maybe not! Before you do anything it's a good idea to have a chat with your doctor about which x-rays you might need to hang onto. Some of them could be important for your health records or even for legal reasons.
Why recycle x-rays?
-
They contain silver which can be used as silver solder, jewellery, the silver plating of utensils, electrical components, and film manufacture.
-
They can be harmful to the environment if disposed of incorrectly (such as in your kerbside general waste bin)
-
It’s a way to get rid of x-rays while maintaining your privacy, as the x-rays will be destroyed as part of the process.
There are lots of places where you can drop off your x-rays for recycling – to find one near you, go to:
https://recycleright.wa.gov.au/find-my-nearest/
