Photovoltaic (PV) Panel Waste Volumes

Photovoltaic (PV) Panel Waste Volumes Summary Beyond general waste regulations, various approaches have been developed specifically to manage end-of-life PV panel waste. In this series, the financial principles of panel waste management as well as the enabling framework headings are summarized. Now the financial model of PV panels includes collection, processing, recovery, recycling and disposal.

Producer-Financed Compliance Cost

Under this model, the producer finances the activities of the waste management system by participating in a compliance plan and paying for a take-back system or management program. It covers two types of waste: 1. Orphan waste (waste from products placed on the market after the implementation of the waste management system by producers that no longer exist and cannot be held responsible). 2. Historical waste (waste resulting from products placed on the market before the waste management system was established). Costs are generally shared among producers. All costs are regularly reviewed and charged per panel or by weight based on actual recycling costs and future cost estimates.

Consumer-Financed Advanced Recycling Fee

This fee is paid to raise funds for the product's future end-of-life processing. Consumers pay the fee when purchasing the panel. The fee is determined based on estimates of future recycling costs, but can also be used to offset current recycling costs.

Consumer-Financed End-of-Life Fee (Disposal Fee)

The final product owner pays a fee to the organization responsible for recycling the product at the end of its life for collection and recycling costs. The implementation of these different financial approaches can vary significantly from country to country due to different legal frameworks, waste streams, infrastructure maturity levels, and logistical and financial capabilities. In most countries with e-waste management systems, a combination of consumer-based and producer-based approaches has been included in the compliance plan (for example, in the EU). However, each such plan must be adapted to the unique conditions of each country or region.

Enabling Framework

Setting up or developing an end-of-life management plan for PV panel waste requires balancing a number of factors such as collection, recovery and recycling targets. These three objectives become the main drivers of waste management policies. Waste management approaches or schemes should account for different options for collection systems (for example, collection and take-back systems). They should also consider the structure and design of products to adequately manage end-of-life and recycling processes (for example, PV panels are generally classified as e-waste). For this reason, waste management naturally also leads to motivation for changing product design in favor of, for example, easier waste processing. In the voluntary approach, producers typically rely on internal environmental management systems to manage all environmental responsibilities of their company, including end-of-life of their products or services. An example can be found in the ISO 14000 family of international standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization on environmental management. ISO 14040: 2006 specifically addresses the principles and framework for a company's life cycle assessment of its products and operations (ISO, 2006). Within this or other frameworks, some PV panel manufacturers have established individual voluntary take-back or product management programs that enable the return of defective panels for recycling upon request. The management of such programs can be undertaken directly by the company or indirectly through a recycling service agreement as outlined in more detail below: 1. Direct management: The manufacturer maintains full control of the process by operating its own recycling infrastructure and renewal or recycling programs to process its own panels. 2. Indirect management: The manufacturer contracts with service providers to collect and process its panels. Depending on the contract details, different levels of manufacturer involvement are possible. In the indirect programs option, manufacturers can outsource the management and operation of recycling programs partially or entirely to a third party. The members of such an organization may be entirely manufacturers or may also include a network of government agencies, recyclers or collectors. Alternatively, there may be a single entity created by the government to manage the system. Activities undertaken by third-party organizations and other compliance plans may vary from country to country and may depend on specific legal requirements and services provided to members. In the public-private approach, "PV CYCLE", established in 2007, is an example of a voluntary plan based on a public-private partnership principle between industry and European regulators and includes both "take-back" and "deposit" systems. The association was established by leading PV manufacturers and is financed entirely by member companies, enabling end users to return defective panels from member companies at over 300 collection points across Europe. "PV CYCLE" covers the operation of collection points with their own containers, collection, transport, recycling and reporting activities. Large quantities of panels (currently over 40) can be received by "PV CYCLE" upon request. In some countries, "PV CYCLE" has established cooperatives and is promoting research on panel recycling. "PV CYCLE" is being restructured to comply with emerging new regulations for end-of-life PV in different EU member states.

Regulatory Approach

The EU is the only jurisdiction that has developed specific regulations and policies for end-of-life management of PV. Regulatory Approach in the European Union Since the late 1990s, the EU has pioneered PV distribution with significant volumes established between 2005 and 2011, providing an increase from 2.3 GW to 52 GW during this period. Manufacturers selling to the EU thus also began to design early. PV life cycle management concepts, the most prominent example being the pan-European PV CYCLE initiative mentioned earlier. The increases occurring in PV production triggered the development of PV recycling technology, as production scrap recycling provided direct economic benefits and justified investments in such technologies in the short term. High distribution rates, increasing production capacities and growing PV demand globally led to the rapid internationalization and commodification of supply chains. This made it much more difficult to implement pan-European voluntary initiatives for long-term producer responsibility (for a global overview of PV panel manufacturers and cumulative installed PV capacity, see Figure 1). This resulted in a need for regulation to provide a level playing field for all market participants and to ensure long-term end-of-life collection and recycling of PV waste. WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive) Balancing the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to e-waste management, including end-of-life PV panels, lies at the heart of the EU regulatory framework created through the WEEE Directive. This framework addresses the complex EEE waste stream in the 28 EU member states and in the broader economy effectively, and places at its core the principle of extended producer responsibility. The Directive has global impact, because manufacturers wishing to supply products to the EU market are legally responsible for end-of-life management regardless of where production takes place. Legal producer responsibility for end-of-life products, this combination of EEE-specific collection, recovery and recycling targets and minimum treatment requirements ensuring the protection of the environment and human health, can serve as a reference point for developing PV waste management regulations globally. The original WEEE Directive (Directive 2002/96/EC) entered into force in February 2003, but proved insufficient to cope with the rapidly increasing and diversifying waste stream. In 2012, upon the recommendation of the European Commission, the directive was revised (2012/19/EU). For the first time, it contained details on end-of-life management of PV panels. The revised WEEE Directive, which entered into force on 13 August 2012, was to be implemented by EU member states by 14 February 2014, thus introducing a new legal framework for PV panel waste. Each of the 28 EU member states is now responsible for establishing a PV panel collection and processing regime in accordance with the directive. Since the revised WEEE Directive is based on the principle of extended producer responsibility, manufacturers are responsible for collection, processing and monitoring costs. They must fulfill a number of requirements and responsibilities. Financial Responsibility Manufacturers are responsible through a financial guarantee to cover the cost of collecting and recycling products likely to be used by private households. They are responsible for financing public collection points and first-stage treatment facilities. They must also be members of a collective compliance plan or develop an individual plan. Reporting Responsibility Manufacturers are obliged to report monthly or annually the panels sold, recovered (through individual or collective compliance programs) and sent for treatment. Within this reporting scheme, manufacturers must equally present the results obtained from waste treatment of products (tons processed, tons recovered, tons recycled, tons discarded by fraction, such as glass, mixed plastic waste, metals). Information Responsibility Manufacturers are responsible for labeling panels in accordance with the WEEE Directive. They must inform buyers that panels must be disposed of in special collection facilities and not mixed with general waste, and that take-back and recycling are free of charge. They are also responsible for informing the buyer about the end-of-life procedures of PV panels. For example, special collection schemes may go beyond legal requirements, such as the manufacturer providing a door-to-door take-back service. Finally, manufacturers must provide waste treatment companies with information on how PV panels should be handled during collection, storage, dismantling and treatment. This information includes details about hazardous substance content and potential occupational risks. In the case of PV panels, this includes information about the risk of electric shock when handling light-exposed panels. Definition of Manufacturers Under the WEEE Directive "Manufacturers" include not only the original equipment manufacturer, but also a range of parties involved in placing a product on the market. The WEEE Directive defines the manufacturer in Article 3: 'Manufacturer' means any natural or legal person, including distant communication regardless of the sales technique used, as defined in European Union Directive 97/7/EC. Regarding consumer protection in distance contracts of 20 May 1997 (19): i. Is established in a Member State and manufactures EEE under its own name or trademark or designs or manufactures EEE under its own name or trademark on the territory of that Member State and markets it; ii. Is established in a Member State and resells equipment manufactured by other suppliers under its own name or trademark on the territory of that Member State, the seller shall not be deemed a 'manufacturer' if the manufacturer's mark appears on the equipment as provided in paragraph (i); iii. Is established in a Member State and professionally places EEE on the market of that Member State from a third country or another Member State; or iv. Sells EEE directly to private households or users other than private households in a Member State via distant communication and is established in another Member State or a third country. A person who provides financing exclusively under or in accordance with any financing arrangement shall not be deemed a "manufacturer" unless that person simultaneously acts as a manufacturer within the scope of paragraphs (i) through (iv). In our next article, we will continue with WEEE targets and financing plans, wishing you healthy days. Dr. Cemil Koyunoğlu Energy Systems Engineering Department Faculty of Engineering Yalova University