BRIGHT FUTURE FOR SOLAR PANEL RECYCLING IN DUBBO REGION
Dubbo Regional Council (DRC) will begin a solar panel recycling trial this Monday 4 December at the Whylandra Waste and Recycling Facility.
The trial, which is being undertaken in partnership with PV Industries, will see over 90 per cent of end-of-life and damaged solar panel materials recovered and recycled when brought into the Whylandra facility.
End-of-life solar panels are an emerging material stream presented to waste and recycling facilities across Australia and the globe.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) recently forecasted that waste from global cumulative solar photovoltaic (PV) projects would equate to more than 200 million tonnes by 2050. Most of this waste is coming from damaged and end-of-life solar panels.
Manager Resource Recovery and Efficiency, Jamie Lobb, said this project further supports Council’s journey towards 80 per cent landfill diversion by 2030.
“Council is committed to diverting at least 80 per cent of the items we receive at our waste and recycling facilities away from landfill by 2030.”
“We are continuously exploring ways to improve our waste and recycling services and meet our 2030 target. This is important not just for our region, but also the wider community and indeed the planet,” Mr Lobb said.
The fees for using the solar panel recycling program are:
- Residential and Commercial customers within the Dubbo region local government area: $5 per panel, $5 per inverter.
- Residential and Commercial customers that generate the product outside of the Dubbo region local government area: $274 per tonne (with a minimum $31 tonne charge).
The solar panel recycling service will operate alongside other recently added services, such as the textile recycling trial and polystyrene recycling trial, ensuring Council remains proactive in its approach to waste management and steering towards a circular economy when the opportunities arise.
For more information about Council’s waste facilities, including opening hours and other disposal services available visit www.dubbo.nsw.gov.au/Households-Residents/Rubbish-Recycling-and-Sustainability/council-waste-facilities .
Last Edited: 01 Dec 2023