Abstract: A process is provided for recovering silver and plastics material from photographic film. For exposed film, film is shredded or chopped, subjected to bleach treatment, washed, and subjected to fixing treatment, the fixing solution being circulated in closed circuit through an electrolytic silver recovery plant in which silver is deposited on one or more cathodes. For unexposed film, the bleach and washing steps can be omitted. For high silver recovery, the main fixing treatment is followed by a tailings treatment in fix solution, the tailings solution being circulated through a separate silver recovery unit of lower capacity and lower power. To maintain the fixing solution pH, a first wash in plain water is followed, before fixing, by a second wash in water treated with an alkaline chemical to raise its pH.