Solar panel waste poses ‘an urgent environmental problem’

As oldest panels reach their end, policies on dismantling and recycling are needed, says academic

Urgent policy action is needed to address a potential environmental waste disposal crisis caused by the removal and replacement of solar photovoltaic panels in Australia’s remote areas, a Northern Territory construction waste minimisation academic has said.

Deepika Mathur, a research fellow at Charles Darwin University’s northern institute in Alice Springs, warned that the waste burden could be costly and must be shared by governments, industry and consumers.