California's landfills are starting to notice toxic waste from broken and discarded units after more than two decades of incentivizing homeowners to install solar panels on their roof.
The Los Angeles Times reported yesterday that heavy metals can be used to make all the panels people are tossing in the garbage, but hopefully that can be mitigated.
Natalie Click told the LA Times that people don't realize that there are toxic materials in electronics. A lot of the toxic chemicals and materials are going to leak into the ground once it's put into the landfill.
Only about one in 10 panels are recycled because they only cost $2 to $4 to break down.
There is some hope if that is depressing. The recyclability of old panels will likely increase due to supply chain shortages and an increase in demand for solar products.
It means that we could be headed towards a situation in which solar panels are more likely to be recycled and less likely to be thrown away.
We don't know if the ones we've already thrown away will ever be exhumed. If a company thinks they can make money by grave digging and re-selling them, then they should be resurrected.
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