Method of recycling support material for image-bearing support

A method for recycling a support material of an image-bearing support comprising the steps of:

• impregnating an image-bearing support, at least part of which is composed of a paper layer, and on which paper layer images made from a hydrophobic thermofusible ink comprising a thermofusible resin component are formed, with at least one of water or an aqueous solution which is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous solution containing a surfactant, an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymer, and an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymer and a surfactant, thereby reducing the adhesion between the hydrophobic ink and the paper while substantially retaining the hydrophobic ink images on the paper support,
• causing an image release member to contact the image bearing side of said support with the application of heat thereto, said image release member comprising a resin layer which comprises the same thermofusible resin component as that contained in said thermofusible ink, or a resin layer having the same or substantially the same SP value as that of said thermofusible resin component in said thermofusible ink;
• and
• peeling said images away from said support, under the conditions that said thermofusible ink is fused and the images are adhered to the image release member, by removing said image release member from said support.