The future of the solar power industry may be bright, but solar also
has a dark side — the panels being built today have an estimated
lifespan of 30 to 40 years and then are largely discarded. The problem
with that is that some thin-film photovoltaic solar cells contain
hazardous substances like cadmium that can pose a health risk if the
solar panel is simply thrown out after it’s done soaking up the sun.
The issue is important enough that in late October, the Silicon Valley
Toxics Coalition (SVTC), which lobbies to keep old computer parts from
being dumped, plans to release a report raising concerns about cadmium
in solar panels and urging manufacturers to reclaim old panels to keep
cadmium out of the waste stream.
Read the full story >>
Company profiles:
