Statement by FS staff re hazardous materials in microfilms: more information required
I was alarmed to read a recent statement by a FS employee in respect of (actual physical ) microfilms :
Please note that the films contain hazardous materials and require special handling.
Does this mean that no microfilms may be assessed anywhere at the FamilySearch Library and those Family Search Centers which still remain microfilms?
I looked at the FamilySearch Library website, but there was nothing to indicate that the films contain hazardous materials.
Answers
-
Why not ask in the group where that comment was made instead of in General Questions? Since the remark was made in the context of shipping the films, I suspect the issue concerns the shipping process for hazardous materials. Microfilm is, after all, petroleum-based. That is one of the reasons why FS discontinued microfilm as the price of petroleum and its derivatives rose.
@MaureenE123 Also, SLC is in the process of moving certain groups of microfilm in SLC.
0 -
The micro-films are safe. They are made of the same material as motion picture film was made of.
When F/S began digitizing all of the films Salt Lake no longer wanted all of the films in the field returned to Salt Lake. They insted wanted local lFH brary's to attempt to offer the films to local public library's along with film Readers. Storage of films and readers would have been a huge problem if all were returned to SLC.
Starting a few years ago Eastman Kodak found a dcrease in orrders for micr- film At one point FHL was Eastman Kodaks only customer. Kodac found it was no longer profitiale to continue manufacturing microfilm.
eastman Kodak
0 -
@charlesdennisbrown2 - "The micro-films are safe. They are made of the same material as motion picture film was made of."
Well… Some movie films were deadly from the point of view of flammability -
flammability was a considerable problem. Nitrate fires, such as that of the Paris Bazaar disaster of May 1897, which claimed the lives of 126 people, led to considerable regulation of film projections in many
countriesSee https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/all-about-nitrate-film
I think we can be confident that FS Microfilms are not a serious danger in the library though! However, any substance of concern, when it gets transported, has to have labels and obey certain substance-dependent rules. Films do appear to come under that regime (possibly UN Number 1324?) so it's probably the transportation that needs to follow rules, and therefore needs someone who knows what the rules are.
2 -
@Adrian Bruce1 and that's the essence of Ken's comment in the original thread.
We have temporarily suspended film return. In order to receive instructions for returning the films, you need to call FamilySearch Center support and request to have your center added to the contact list. Please note that the films contain hazardous materials and require special handling.
While he doesn't mention shipping/transport by name, the reference is to returning the films which means the same thing.
2
