If you’re thinking about placing those cute, little one-time- use cameras at each of your wedding guest tables, so that your friends and family can capture all the fun moments at their tables while you’re off mingling and dancing, or catch that priceless moment when your groom is gazing at you adoringly while you’re hugging your new in-laws, you don’t have to worry anymore about whether or not your one-time-use cameras (OTUCs) are eco-friendly! Kodak’s OTUC cameras just hit a recycling rate of 84%, the highest recycling rate of any consumer product in the U.S. and far exceeding even the recycle rate for aluminum cans (52%) and plastic drink containers (25%). Check out this chart of just how great the numbers are for recycling those one-time-use cameras:
Drum roll, please….Kodak is responsible for most of the 1.5 billion recycled OTUCs since they started their program in 1990. That’s enough cameras that, when laid end-to-end, would stretch over 120,000 miles, enough distance to circle the Earth five times or reach more than halfway to the moon. Recent studies reveal that Kodak brand cameras made up about 1 billion of those, and camera recycling in general is up almost 10% from this time last year!
Since nearly every part of the Kodak camera is either recycled or made from reused materials, that means those one-time-use cameras do get the Green Light for today’s eco-responsible wedding! [Now keep in mind that I’m mentioning Kodak due to it’s high-quality film, 800 film speed and great results – I used this brand at my own wedding, so the mix of my fabulous photos and the knowledge that Kodak really is dedicated to recycling makes me want to bring this brand to your attention far more than other, maybe less expensive or non-brand cameras out there!]
How Does It Work?
When you turn in those OTUCs for developing, the photofinisher sends in those used OTUCs to a collection center, and when the Kodak center gets their own branded cameras back, they set to work placing the internal parts that are in good condition into new OTUCs and grinding down and recycling the outer, plastic casing. Nothing hits the landfills, and new OTUCs are born for the next wave of brides and grooms to use on their guest tables!
But Are They Cute?
Cuter than ever! You’ll see lots of different colors of cameras faces at the Kodak website, and now The Knot has jumped on board Kodak’s impressive recycling stats to release a new line of designer OTUC’s in pretty red floral and light blue floral:
And of course there’s always the classic bridal white camera in floral:
Check them out at the Kodak site, and you can also find the red and blue floral cameras new at The Knot’s site – and those too are recycle-friendly!
What About Film Developing?
This is important! You don’t want to take a good thing, a recycled/recyclable camera, and work against its earth-friendly perks by going toxic with your photo developing! Find a quality film developing shop that uses earth-friendly inks, papers and printing processes, and if you’ll order or DIY your photo albums, insist on eco-smart, natural materials with no VOCs or acids. Your photos will last forever, and so will the pride you’ll feel in participating in the camera use-and-reuse circle! 
No guilt, no worries…and you can even put OTUCs in your guest welcome baskets at the hotel or for a destination wedding!
Learn more about Kodak’s OTUC Recycling Program
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Sharon, you are right that single use cameras are the most recycled consumer product, and I’m glad that Kodak is making theirs from recycled/reused materials but there is a deeper green choice out there: http://www.CameraRenter.com sends digital cameras (along with pre-paid return labels) one week before the event (to capture all of the pre-event fun) then, after they are returned, uploads all of the pictures to one site where guests can see them and the bride and groom can print ONLY the pictures that they plan on using (rather than ALL as must be done with the “disposable” cameras). Zero waste, better quality photos.