Apparently, since the advent of digital cameras, consumers have not only enjoyed photography more but also contributed. Although mostly unintentionally to the reduction of environmental pollution. Previous camera systems require the treatment of film with certain chemicals, particularly those used as fixer and developer solutions. These chemicals had for a long time been responsible for the poisoning of water sources through indiscriminate disposal.
Each year, around two thousand new chemicals are developed for use in industry. These new threats add to the 80, 000 chemicals already in existence. Although the effect of each known chemical is not known, it is clear from studies that our health and the environment are at risk because of these chemicals in general. Surprisingly, the threat of hazardous wastes is one of the least publicized environmental issues.
Nonetheless, according to experts, problems related to hazardous wastes in the environment are actually some of the issues that we can resolve using technology which is currently available. An example of such technology is the manufacture of digital cameras, which has drastically cut down the hazards posed by film development chemicals.
In the years prior to the invention and mass production of digital cameras, laws had been put into effect requiring photography and film development companies to render used chemicals inert or harmless before dumping them in landfills. However, many of these companies, usually the smaller ones, ignored laws and willfully disposed off their chemical wastes without treating them first. This was because of the large expenditure involved in turning those chemicals inert.
