X-rays recycled into jewellery

Mayor Payne and Cr Clark at the Mornington Resource Recovery Centre.

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.