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Ideas on how to destroy old film?

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 6:29 pm
by JanW
Can anyone suggest a way to destroy old Standard and Super 8 film?
I've had a call for help from someone who needs to destroy several thousand feet. Shredders made little impression.
thanks
Jan

Re: Ideas on how to destroy old film?

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:00 pm
by Mike Shaw
Sounds desperate to destroy old film!

How about a match, garden bonfire?

Re: Ideas on how to destroy old film?

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:11 am
by JanW
I haven't tried, but apparently, being safety film, it doesn't burn well.

Jan

Re: Ideas on how to destroy old film?

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:24 am
by Ken Wilson
I worked in a 16mm and 35mm film lab for 35 years. When reels of film, often old rushes, had to be disposed of, we just had to drop it into a skip. It was unwound from bobbins or reels and the metal can re-used, but I don`t know of any way film can be destroyed in a quick, mass disposal kind of way. Why would anyone want to anyway? National secrets or "naughty" movies?

Re: Ideas on how to destroy old film?

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:27 am
by Mike Shaw
All my 8mm movies were kept in metal cans, in the basement of the house we had at the time.

Then we had a flood.

Just drop the film in water for a few hours. Sadly, that worked for me.

It does sound as though it is important every individual frame is 'disfigured' - I'm sure incineration (melting) would also do the trick.

Re: Ideas on how to destroy old film?

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 10:28 am
by Arthur Bates
Hi Jan, Old cine film probably has a silver salt and gelatine based emolsion and acetete compound base. It burns slowly and produces a black sticky substance in my experience. This may solidify when cold and I would have thought made disposal easier. Above all, do it outside in a incinerator with a breeze as the fumes are probably highly toxic. I would not think it would cause any airport closures! AB