Solar power programme could leave behind a trail of waste
India has an ambitious solar power programme but currently no proper policy or mechanism to address the waste from solar panels. An estimated 200,000 tonnes of waste from solar photovoltaic panels could pile up in India by 2030 if no action is taken. Leaching of hazardous chemicals into the ecosystem can result in the loss of biodiversity, decreased growth and reproductive rates in plants and animals, and several other health hazards like adverse impact on kidney function, nervous, immune, reproductive and cardiovascular systems. While recycling could be a good system to manage the waste and an economic opportunity as well, it is still at a nascent stage and some components of PV panels are not recyclable as yet.
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