EU requires recycling
The European Parliament has revised its Directive on Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste and now requires solar panels to be recycled. Manufacturers have to pay for the entire process.
The European Parliament has revised Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) to require photovoltaic panels to be recycled. One of the goals is to prevent the uncontrolled export of dangerous substances, such as quicksilver, cadmium, lead, and hex chrome. Another is to retain such valuable resources as copper and aluminum in light of rising prices. The European Parliament estimates that around 65 percent of all electrical and electronic devices sold are currently recovered. However, more than half of them are not properly handled or are traded illegally. The 27 member states now have until July 2013 to ratify the new law.
The Parliament wants to make sure that no country receives preferential treatment, though it has provided a transitional period for the ten accession countries that joined in 2004. The remaining 17 member states have three years to collect at least 75 percent of the solar panels that have reached the end of their service lives, and at least 65 percent have to be recycled. In the three subsequent years, 80 percent have to be collected and 70 percent recycled. After six years, the targets are 85 percent and 80 percent for collection and recycling, respectively. In light of their lack of infrastructure and small sales volume for electronic devices, the European Parliament has granted the following countries a longer transitional term: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Over the next four years, these countries only have to collect at least 40 percent of their old photovoltaics. After 10 years, the recycling quota for all member states is to be to same.
Manufacturers have to pay for the entire system, but the European Parliament has allowed them to organize financing on their own. The firms can either pay for recycling individually or take part in a collective system. If a collective system is chosen, manufacturers of niche products and small batches, importers, and new market participants must not be shut out. As demonstration of participation in a collective financing system, the European Parliament will accept the guarantee that the manufacturing of a module will still take place if a manufacturer goes out of business. Otherwise, manufacturers would have to sign recycling insurance policies or set money aside in a trustee account. All of the manufacturers on the market at the time cover the financing of the recycling of solar panels installed before August 13, 2005, in accordance with their market share.
The firms have to have an office in at least one member state to ensure that they perform their duties pertaining to recycling and financing. In EU countries where they sell their modules, they must also appoint an officer to handle fulfillment of recycling duties. (Sven Ullrich / Craig Morris)
