The Photographic Industry

Abstract

The photographic industry is worldwide the largest industrial user of silver but because of the technology of color photography, increasing efficiency of use, and a high level of recycling, photography has dropped below electronics in annual consumption of silver.

It is of course not possible to make an exact model of silver use and consumption in the photographic industry. Those presented in Chapters 13 and 19 are based on discussions with numerous industry specialists and executives and are thought to be the best estimates available. Despite the broad assistance in developing these data, the author alone is responsible for the degree of accuracy.

Some contributors were not in agreement with the estimates of proportionally small amounts of microflim and specialty products. However, one million Troy ounces of silver, a mere one-half of one percent of total annual silver usage in photography, is enough to produce in excess of 8 million square meters of film or 20 million m² of photographic paper.

I am extremely grateful to the industry executives, André Leysen, President of Agfa-Gevaert, a team of his colleagues, and numerous unnamed sources, for their assistance.