How-to · 4 min read · Updated 6 November 2026
Switching to digital X-ray: disposing of fixer, films and processors
Why the switch creates a one-off waste problem
Wet film processing produces a steady trickle of waste: used fixer and developer, lead foils from intra-oral film packets and spoilt films. When a practice moves to digital sensors or phosphor plates, all of that stops at once, but the practice is left with whatever has built up over the years, plus the processor itself. Many practices find unopened boxes of chemicals, expired film and old processors in storerooms long after the switch.
Planning one collection for all of it is usually cheaper and simpler than several small ones, and it gives you a single set of paperwork for your records.
Before booking, take photos of the storeroom and processor and send your contractor a rough list with container sizes and quantities. That lets them bring the right containers and vehicle on the day, rather than having to return for items that were not expected.
What needs to go and how
| Item | How it is classed | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Used fixer | Hazardous waste, List of Wastes code 09 01 04* | Sealed, labelled container, hazardous waste collection, silver usually recovered |
| Used developer | Hazardous waste, code 09 01 01* | Separate sealed container, never mixed with fixer |
| Unopened or part-used chemical concentrate | Hazardous waste | Keep in original containers with labels, collect with the other chemicals |
| Lead foils from film packets | Non-hazardous metal for recycling | Separate container, sent for metal recovery |
| Unused or expired film | Contains silver, collected separately | Ask your contractor, as it is often recovered with fixer |
| Automatic processor | Waste electrical equipment | Drained and rinsed, then collected for WEEE treatment |
| Old X-ray units | Waste electrical equipment with specialist parts | Removed by a specialist, with any radiation protection advice followed |
Step by step: clearing out wet film processing
- List everything: chemicals, films, foils, processors, darkroom equipment and old radiographs
- Check the dates and labels on chemical containers, and do not decant or mix them
- Ask your contractor for suitable containers for fixer and developer
- Drain the processor into the correct containers, following the manufacturer's instructions and your COSHH assessment
- Rinse the processor tanks and collect the rinse water as chemical waste if your contractor advises it
- Bag lead foils separately for metal recycling
- Book one collection for chemicals, foils, films and equipment
- Check the consignment note lists each hazardous stream with the right code before you sign it
- File the paperwork for at least three years in England and Wales
Never pour chemicals down the drain
It can be tempting to tip the last few litres of fixer or developer down the sink, especially when the processor is being taken out. Do not. Used fixer contains dissolved silver and both chemicals are classed as hazardous waste. Discharging them to the drain without the right consent can breach your trade effluent rules and environmental law, and it is the sort of thing a contractor, landlord or inspector may notice when a darkroom is cleared out.
Old radiographs and patient records
Old films are not just waste. Radiographs are part of the patient record and must be kept for the retention period your practice follows. If you digitise them, check that the digital copies are of diagnostic quality and are properly linked to the patient record before you dispose of the originals. When films are destroyed, they contain silver and personal data, so use a service that handles both confidential destruction and silver recovery, and keep a record of what was destroyed and when.
X-ray equipment and radiation protection
Changing or removing X-ray equipment is also a radiation protection matter. Speak to your Radiation Protection Adviser before work starts, follow the installer's instructions for new equipment, and update your local rules, risk assessment and HSE registration details if your use of radiation changes. Old X-ray units, tube heads and processors should be removed by a specialist familiar with dental equipment, as tube heads can contain oil and shielding materials.
Digital imaging still produces some waste
Going digital removes chemical waste but not all X-ray waste. Barrier envelopes for sensors and phosphor plates are used once per patient and usually go in the offensive or infectious stream, depending on contamination. Damaged phosphor plates and sensors are electronic or specialist waste, so ask your supplier whether they take them back.
Frequently asked questions
Can unused X-ray fixer be poured away?
No. Unused fixer and developer concentrate are still hazardous chemicals and must be collected by a hazardous waste carrier with a consignment note. Keep them in their original labelled containers, do not mix them, and add them to your next chemical collection or to a one-off clear-out. Used fixer can also contain silver, which is usually recovered. If you are switching to digital imaging, a single clear-out collection for all leftover chemicals is usually the simplest and cheapest option.
How should lead foils from X-ray film packets be disposed of?
Lead foils should be kept separate from all other waste and collected for metal recycling. They must not go in general, offensive or clinical waste. Many contractors supply a small dedicated container. When a practice moves to digital imaging, any remaining foils can be collected with the leftover chemicals in a single visit. Lead is valuable as scrap, so recovery is the expected route rather than landfill.
Does a dental practice need to tell anyone when it removes an X-ray machine?
Practices using X-ray equipment are registered with HSE under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017, and should keep their registration, risk assessment and local rules up to date. Speak to your Radiation Protection Adviser about any change to equipment, and use a specialist to remove old units. Waste paperwork for the equipment should be kept with your other waste records.
digital X-ray fixer and developer lead foils practice refit
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