NGT Seeks Centre’s Response on Improper Disposal of Solar Panels
The National Green Tribunal issued a notice to the Centre seeking a response with respect to improper disposal and recycling of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. This time, it is raised by a farmer from Uttar Pradesh. This time, the issue is improper facilities for disposal of used solar panels, especially those applied in agricultural irrigation under Kusum Yojna.
December 23 was reportedly heard. A NGT bench consisting of chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel is said to have reportedly heard a letter petition of a farmer from Uttar Pradesh. He was alleged to be making use of solar panels in the generation of energy to irrigate his farm since 2019, protesting for not having proper infrastructure at their disposal to dispose off the damaged or used ones.
The petition would add further that, once a few years have passed and panels could not be repaired thus destined to being thrown, no better alternatives other than being discarded remain. According to the farmer these can only end up getting disposed of by the farmers getting dumped on some piece of land in an environment.
Another environmental-related point that has been highlighted, concerns PV solar recycling. All waste materials, in the Aluminum copper as well as Glass categorizations, are accepted there. However, that matter part of the solar panel- especially that such as polymer and silicon is not available for recycling. Thus it is sent to the dumps with further complication within landfill management. The second challenge is the utilization of toxic materials like lead and cadmium in the solar panel, since the heavy metals can penetrate into the soil and water, therefore, causing long-term damage to the environment.
The NGT further commented that the situation as of date was such that there were many questions with regard to compliance with the norms relating to the environment, much more so with the E-Waste (Management) Rules. The tribunal held that there wasn’t such a mechanism for disposal or recycling damaged solar panels safely and that is one of the biggest challenges facing the management of this large volume of waste.
It received notificated for various central government agencies. These notice have been received by Central Pollution Control Board, State board Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board; and, state office ministry of environment forest and climate change; as well state level ministry new and renewable energy, state offices of moef&cc. The Lucknow office of Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change also joined the litigations.
It is February 10, 2024, where it directed further proceedings so that respondents may get an opportunity to present responses on the issue.
Impact from Solar Panels Waste
The issue of solar panel waste is arising more and more around the world with the people becoming an increasingly solar energy adherent. In India, an initiative by the government about Kusum Yojna encourages the use of solar irrigation, and, hence, the usage of this form of solar panel on farm fields is growing more. Such a program is full of advantages in such an agenda, but the two leading factors are the reduction of dependence upon electricity from the grid network, and sustainability; however, damage or becoming obsolete is very challenging to use such panels.
The average life span of a solar panel is 20 to 25 years. It is not so easy after the panels have completed their life span because mixed materials are contained in it, and some are hazardous too. As the installation of these solar panels increases particularly in rural areas, so a system for the disposal and recycling of these solar panels forms an urgent requirement.
The absence of recycling infrastructure for such panels in India makes a large number of these panels end up in the landfills, obstructing environmental resources. This is made worse by further volumes of solar panels making it into this end-of-life scenario as the number of waste increases.
Recycling Today
This is also because of one of the biggest reasons, which is that the problem that is associated with recycling of solar panels currently lies in the processing of certain materials themselves. Where extraction of aluminum and copper is pretty straightforward, other constituents such as silicon and polymers do not offer such an opportunity to be easily recycled. Another scaring thing when it comes to the extraction of material is that lead, cadmium which has toxic material in the solar panels influences both the human world and earth. Thus, they end up at the landfill since in a case where proper recycling infrastructure does not exist, that material may end up getting dissolved into the soil and water. This leaves the effects irreparable; therefore, the incidences can’t be so friendly.
Solar panel disposal and recycling are not just issues of the Indian nation. The challenge now befalls every other country. With a growing global solar energy capacity through them, all nations are faced with this issue. As more and more nations focus on the generation of solar energy, their wastes from the panels keep growing. This is one area where India is challenged acutely due to the rising scale of the country’s own solar energy generation and at the same time, a very poor facility for recycling within the country.
Future:
This is what the NGT intervention entails: a clarion call to take urgent action that is inspired by the environmental effects of solar panel wastes. It underlines, therefore the inclusion of such a pertinent decision that calls for some key governmental bodies such as MoEFCC, MNRE, and pollution boards to evolve the solution that will be all-encompassing of the problem.
Not long from now, there will be a demand for the installation of solar recycling systems that would set up powerful systems with the establishment of good recycling infrastructure and facilities together with developing technology to extract valuable materials from such panels. There should also be the development of regulations concerning the safe and responsible disposition of such panels.
This will, therefore, call for the collaboration of both the government and the private sector in formulating incentives for recycling and proper disposal infrastructure, particularly in rural areas where adoption of solar energy is going at a very high speed.
This could open the avenue to a more sustainable and circular economy for solar panels in India. As the country continues to invest in renewable energy, proper disposal and recycling of solar panels will be key to minimizing the environmental impact of this green technology.
Source: National Green Tribunal Press Release, December 2024.