Japan Govt Adopts Bill Mandating Solar Panel Disposal Plans

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Friday adopted a bill that requires operators of mega solar power plants to submit plans on how they will dispose of used panels. The bill is aimed at getting mega solar farm operators to cooperate on recycling used panels, in order to reduce the volume of those that go to landfill. The country is expected to see the amount of dumped used solar panels reach up to 500,000 tons around 2040, about six times the current volume. The bill stipulates that operators set out in their plans the volume of panels to be disposed of, along with when and how they will be dumped, among other aspects. Operators will be asked to dispose of used panels in ways that allow them to be recycled into materials. If plans are deemed inadequate, such as favoring landfill disposal without reason, operators will face advisories or orders from the government. Noncompliance will be punished. The bill also includes rules to help recycling operators handle used panels. The government will certify plans from efficient operators, allowing them to collect and transport used panels beyond prefectural borders and easing regulations on the volume of used panels they can store. The government aims to mandate full recycling of used solar panels in the second half of the 2030s, before solar panel disposals are expected to peak. An additional clause attached to the bill calls for studies on tightening regulations further. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]