It is illegal to toss old X-ray films into the garbage. Follow the Washington State Department of Health’s guidelines for the disposal of X-ray equipment and film.
X-ray films contain recoverable silver and may include personal medical information. To protect the environment and patient privacy, they should be disposed of properly. The best way to dispose of old X-ray films is to recycle them. A number of companies nationwide melt X-ray films to extract and recycle the silver.
Last updated 6/14/2026