A method of recycling an image supporting material from an image supporting material comprising a non-absorbent substrate and an absorbent swelling layer that swells with absorption of liquids, which is overlaid on the non-absorbent substrate, includes the steps of: applying to an image-bearing side of the image supporting material a liquid in an amount which exceeds a maximum amount of the liquid that can be absorbed by the swelling layer; leveling the liquid applied to the image-bearing side of the image supporting material to form a liquid film layer on the image supporting material; heating the swelling layer or the liquid film layer; bringing a peeling member into contact with the image forming material with the application of heat and pressure thereto when at least part of the liquid reaches an interface between the swelling layer and the image forming material deposited on the swelling layer; and separating said peeling member from image supporting material, to remove the image forming material from the image supporting material, and a recycling apparatus for this method is proposed.