The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has released a draft of “Guidelines for Storage and Handling of Waste Solar Photo-Voltaic Modules or Panels or Cells” and is inviting comments and suggestions from all stakeholders. This notice was issued on June 4, 2025. This initiative is in line with the provisions of the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, aiming to ensure environmentally sound management of solar waste.
The draft guidelines are crucial given the exponential growth of solar energy installations and the associated challenge of managing end-of-life solar PV modules. Improper disposal of these panels poses significant environmental risks, including heavy metal contamination (Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic), air pollution from unscientific burning, and adverse health impacts from improper handling. Conversely, scientific recycling offers substantial benefits by recovering valuable materials and reducing the need for new raw material extraction.
Key Aspects of the Draft Guidelines
The guidelines provide technical guidance for transporting, handling, and storing waste generated from solar photo-voltaic panels, modules, or cells, including their components and spares. They are applicable to producers, manufacturers, and recyclers of these solar products.
The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, effective from April 1, 2023, regulate E-Waste management in India, including solar photo-voltaic modules. While producers have recycling targets for other E-Waste, these targets are not applicable to solar waste. Instead, manufacturers, producers, and recyclers of solar PV modules are responsible for ensuring compliance through registration, proper storage until 2034-35, annual returns, and adherence to CPCB guidelines and SOPs.
Solar panels contain materials like glass, aluminum, silicon, and various metals (copper, silver, lead, cadmium, arsenic, tin) and plastics. The guidelines highlight the risks of improper disposal, such as soil and water contamination, toxic fumes from burning, and health hazards.
Collection and Transportation:
- Solar waste must never be disposed of in open areas or sold to unauthorized entities.
- Producers and manufacturers are mandated to devise and publicize collection mechanisms, including take-back schemes, details of collection points, and contact information for queries.
- They should also maintain a database of consumers/bulk consumers to facilitate waste collection.
- Transportation of solar waste should be in covered trucks, preferably those authorized for hazardous wastes, adhering to the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.
Storage and Handling:
- Storage must prevent breakage of waste and ensure worker safety.
- Avoid contact with sharp objects to prevent damage to internal modules.
- Storage should facilitate future re-use, refurbishing, or recycling without damage to health, environment, or the product.
- Covered sheds/spaces are required, with a dry and well-ventilated environment.
- Storage floors must be non-leachable and impervious to prevent groundwater and soil contamination due to potential metal leaching.
- Panels should be stocked in no more than 20 layers or 2 meters high, whichever is less.
- Storage areas need fire protection systems, emergency exits, and an Emergency Response Plan (ERP).
- Containers should be clearly labelled for easy identification and sorting.
- Regular inventory and inspection of stored waste are required.
- A minimum space of 19.5 m³/tonne is needed for storing solar PV modules (CEEW 14 category E-Waste).
The CPCB has made the full draft guideline available on its website. Interested parties are urged to communicate their comments and suggestions by June 25, 2025, via email to wm3.cpcb@nic.in or youthika.cpcb@nic.in, to aid in the finalization of these guidelines.
