Surge in solar panel dumping triggers possible ban in Qld

Queenslanders could soon be banned from dumping their solar panels into landfill under a push from the Palaszczuk government to cut the amount of e-waste in the Sunshine State.

Queenslanders could soon be banned from dumping their solar panels into landfill under a push from the Palaszczuk government to cut the amount of e-waste in the Sunshine State.

A massive 17,000 tonnes of solar panels and batteries is set to be sent to landfill every year by 2030 – a 1687 per cent increase from the 951 tonnes dumped in 2019.

It makes it the fastest-growing form of e-waste that will be thrown away by Queenslanders over the decade – with the Sunshine State home to the most rooftop solar panels in the country.

Under the government’s proposal, which has been outlined in a draft e-products plan to be unveiled on Sunday, solar panels would be banned from landfill within five to ten years.

The government will now trial a solar panel recycling scheme, which will be led by the Smart Energy Council and backed in with more than $250,000 in funding.

The pilot will firstly find participants where solar panels can be diverted, before the program turns to ways end-of-life solar panels can be recovered from rooftops and recycled ones can be installed.

Solar panels are the fastest-growing form of e-waste that will be thrown away by Queenslanders over the decade.

“With the highest rooftop solar penetration in the country, we need to explore how we deal with panels when they reach the end of their life,” Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said.

“The draft plan shows that Queensland is serious about dealing with electronic waste and now we want to hear from Queenslanders and industry to make sure we get it right.

“We know that like other forms of e-waste, there is huge potential for parts to be recycled and in some instances repaired instead of ending up in landfill.”

The draft strategy reveals more than 40,000 tonnes of temperature exchange equipment – which includes fridges, freezers, and air conditioners – is set to be dumped in landfill every year by 2030.

More than 25,000 tonnes per year of large household appliances, which includes washing machines and dryers, is also expected to be sent to landfill by the end of the decade.

Other proposals put forward in the draft strategy include equipping e-product retailers with materials to encourage consumers to “buy better, choose well and make it last”.

Another proposal is for government to fund rebates, contributions, or subsidies to help repair e-products.

The establishment of a “repair café” in every region in Queensland has also been proposed in the strategy in a bid to fix more e-products so they aren’t thrown away.