Quebec City, May 25, 2025
The Government of Quebec is launching a digital transformation project aimed at preserving the most vulnerable aerial archives in its collection and has commissioned the company Geoselec to carry out this initiative. This project is part of a broader effort to conserve acetate-based film rolls, which are currently affected by vinegar syndrome.
Vinegar syndrome is so named due to the deacetylation of the film base, a process that produces acetic acid, responsible for its strong vinegar-like odor. This irreversible phenomenon leads to deformation, shrinkage, brittleness, and cracking of the film, and can ultimately result in the complete loss of the images.
In this context, the implementation of specialized technologies and procedures is essential. The top priority is to protect personnel from the potentially toxic vapors emitted by the rolls, using safety equipment such as fume hoods or filtered masks. Additionally, careful and meticulous handling of the rolls is critical to avoid breakage and to preserve as much detail as possible at each stage of the process: inspection, repair, cleaning, and digitization.
The work will begin in June 2025 and continue through 2027.
By placing acetate film rolls at the heart of this initiative, the Government of Quebec reaffirms its commitment to preserving the province’s geographic heritage. Geoselec is honored to contribute to this effort—an important step toward the long-term preservation and accessibility of Quebec’s aerial archives.
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