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Solar panels can be recycled, but recycling solar panels is not easy or economically profitable in most places. Many states are still determining the best way to encourage and regulate solar panel recycling. According to one study, only about 10% of decommissioned solar panels are recycled[0].
Currently, it costs much more money to disassemble and recycle a solar panel than to put it in a landfill[0]. Many solar panels near the end of their useful lives were designed to be highly weatherproof, making them hard to disassemble to recover the various components that bring value and reduce waste, making solar panel recycling labor-intensive and expensive as a result.
With photovoltaic solar panels growing in popularity, there are ever-rising numbers of PV panels that are reaching the end of their approximately 30-year lifespan[0]. Due to the popularity of these panels, a large amount of PV panels end up in landfills if there isn’t a way to reclaim their materials. Given that these panels contain toxic chemicals and highly valuable materials that could defray the impact of new solar panels on the environment, it makes sense to recycle more solar panels when possible.
How to recycle solar panels
Call your installer or manufacturer. Some states require them to follow certain rules regarding end-of-life solar panels. Washington, for example, has a rule that anyone installing solar panels after July 1, 2017, must have a recycling program to decommission and recycle them at the end of their usable lives[0].
Look at online recycling databases for recyclers near you. Because recycling is a physical process and solar panels are often bulky to ship, many companies find it cost-prohibitive, but you can use search engines such as Earth911 to look for your closest options.
If you cannot find a way to recycle your panels at an affordable rate or at all, follow your area’s hazardous waste laws and ordinances if you dispose of them.
Buying and selling used solar panels
There is a substantial market for secondhand solar panels that still have some life in them. If you purchase a home with 10-year-old solar panels on the roof but you want a brand-new modern system, for example, you might resell the 10-year-old panels and defray the cost of a new solar system.
There are two main ways to buy and sell used solar panels:
On an online marketplace, such as Craigslist or Facebook.
Through solar panel installers in your area. Selling to a certified installer may allow you to have them safely removed from your roof or property as part of the sale, rather than having to contract with someone to decommission them separately.
Be aware that, like any product that is no longer new, your used panels may not sell for as high a price as you’d prefer. Research the market for used solar panels in your area to get a better idea of what kind of return you can expect.
Pros and cons of recycling solar panels
Benefits of recycling solar panels
Keeps valuable and dangerous materials out of the landfill, potentially reducing pollution and participating in the circular economy[0].
Helps raise demand for better solar panel recycling processes. This is particularly true if recycling is inconvenient for you, because you’re proving there is demand for this service.
Avoids fines from states and countries regarding improper disposal.
Drawbacks of recycling solar panels
Can require some time, effort and money.
May not be available in your area at all.
May still send some parts of the panel to the landfill after the valuable and hazardous materials are removed.
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