Belgium – It would be much more effective to rely on the separate solar panel collections offered by the photovoltaic (PV) industry’s take-back and recycling scheme rather than to use existing municipal drop-off points, according to Brussels-based trade association PV Cycle.
Now that PV panels are included in the EU’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, against the advice of PV Cycle, the organisation has made clear that it is prepared to go to great lengths to ensure panels will be collected and recycled through its own scheme.
There are various ‘good reasons’ to adopt this tailored approach – not least the fact that PV panels are much larger than ordinary electronics such as television screens and also have a significantly longer life-time, the trade association has told ENDS. Also, the devices require the services of professionals to install as well as dismantle them, states PV Cycle.
Given these factors and the large volume of PV panels that will need to be collected at their end-of-life stage, existing municipal collection points are ill-equipped to deal with them properly, it is argued. Collection will be further hampered by the fact that the panels are not evenly distributed among the population, thus demanding a more targeted and thus ‘cost-effective’ process.
As EU member states still have until February 14 2014 to transpose the revised WEEE Directive into national law, PV Cycle is therefore hoping they will take regulatory action to encourage the separate collection of solar panels.
For more information, visit: www.pvcycle.org
Source: ENDS
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