As part of the Mornington Peninsula Municipal Resource Recovery Services Strategy, the Victorian Shire is now offering free recycling of X-rays.
X-ray films are recycled to extract the silver which is converted into a purer form of silver and reused for items such as jewellery, silver solder, electrical components and film manufacture.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor, Bryan Payne, said this free recycling service keeps X-rays out of landfill, as X-rays contain chemicals, making them a hazardous waste.
Councillor Rosie Clark said, “Council is pleased to offer this free X-Ray disposal service at the Mornington Recovery Centre to the community which will assist in keeping x-rays out of landfill”.
The initiative was suggested by Somers resident Denise Kempster, a Retired Nurse. Knowing the films could be recycled and should not be disposed of in the general waste system, unable to find a local recycling depot, Denise raised the issue with Council to find a solution.