Photographs Alternative ways to recycle Trash Photographs contain a plastic coating and are usually processed with chemicals. These items are considered a contaminate and cannot be recycled with other paper products. Don't Recycle Professional Prints Prints from in-store photo centers or online photo services cannot be recycled because they are processed with chemicals that will contaminate paper recycling. Old Photos Contain Heavy Metals Old photographs cannot be recycled because they are coated in heavy metals such as silver and mercury. Alternative Ways to Recycle Donate Historical Photos You can donate old photographs with historical value to organizations like the Society of American Archivists. These organizations want to preserve family histories and share them with others. Ways to Reuse Mail Photos as Postcards Consider turning unwanted photos into postcards by writing a fun message on the back and sending them to family and friends. You can also glue them to a piece of thicker cardstock before mailing to keep them safe during travel.