US Solar Recycling Criticized for Landfilling and Offshoring
A new report alleges that the majority of decommissioned US solar panels are not being recycled into clean secondary feedstock, but instead are being landfilled or exported overseas.
The US solar industry is facing a significant challenge in managing its waste, with an estimated one million tons of retired photovoltaic modules expected by 2030 and roughly ten million tons by 2050. A new white paper published by Sustainable Source Studios claims that the prevailing domestic end-of-life management system relies on landfilling, material downcycling, and overseas export.
Introduction to the Problem
According to the report, almost none of what the US calls "solar recycling" is closed-loop recovery, with three practices dominating instead: landfilling, offshoring, and camouflaging, which is disposal disguised as recycling. The report's author, Isaac Nichelson, argues that these practices are all the same failure in different clothing, as the material never becomes clean feedstock again.
Current State of Solar Recycling
The report alleges that roughly 90% of discarded US panels are sent directly to landfills due to the cost differential between tipping fees and legitimate recycling. For the remaining fraction that enters commercial recycling streams, the dominant pathway is a "shred-and-export" pipeline controlled by South Korea-based Korea Zinc, resulting in shipping shredded module materials across the Pacific for smelting rather than completing value recovery domestically.
Exceptions to the Trend
The report identifies Nevada-based Comstock Metals as the sole operating facility in North America currently meeting all of its criteria for certified, zero-landfill domestic processing. Additionally, First Solar's dedicated circular recycling operations for its proprietary thin-film cadmium-telluride modules are cited as an exception to the industry trend.
Industry Response
In response to the report, Solarcycle disagreed with the allegations, stating that its process is the best method to achieve 100% landfill diversion, recover the highest possible value for materials, and ensure end-to-end traceability. The company claimed that more than 80% of the mass of the panels it recycles stays in the US, with the remaining 20% sent abroad to refining partners. However, the report's findings suggest that the industry as a whole has a long way to go in terms of achieving true closed-loop recycling.
The following table summarizes the key findings of the report:
The report's author, Isaac Nichelson, emphasizes that true closed-loop, industrial-scale domestic recovery remains rare, and that the default industry pathway externalizes environmental, social, and economic costs as it ships recoverable materials away from US shores. The report's findings have significant implications for the US solar industry, highlighting the need for more sustainable and responsible waste management practices.
