Does solar energy get recycled? Exploring the political ecology and toxic geographies of solar panel disposal

This article explores the practices of solar panel recycling in the southwest United States at a facility claiming to process solar panels from all 50 states, offering an exemplary site to explore the dilemmas and experiences of solar panel reuse or disposal. Finding that recycling is often conflated with disposal, leading to partially or fully landfilling solar panels, the article argues for the urgent advancement, incentivization and regulation of solar panel recycling. Positioning solar panel disposal within political ecology and toxic geography, the article first provides an overview of the solar panel recycling literature. After discussing the approach, methods and challenges related to this body of research, we explore the operation, social perception and regulatory issues related to solar panel recycling. This entails reflecting on the idea of solar capitalism, and “renewable capital,” to highlight the challenges, harms and uncertainties related to solar panel disposal. The section concludes by reflecting on the various policy measures and practices that can mitigate the harms of solar panel discard, and avoiding its transformation into waste by reinforcing and expanding recycling regulations.