Opinion column by Eduardo Schott. SERC Chile - UC Researcher

The boom in solar energy has been key to Chile's energy transformation, but alongside this significant progress, there is a risk of the country becoming a cemetery for photovoltaic panels. Pollution derived from solar panel waste is an emerging challenge in Chile, given the exponential increase in their use in photovoltaic projects, especially in the north of the country, where we have the most powerful solar radiation in the world.

With more than 12.5 million modules installed and a projection that anticipates 500,000 tons of waste by 2030, with a peak of 120,000 tons in 2046, according to figures from the RIGK and In-Data report, the accumulation of waste in the north of the country threatens to transform the desert into a high-tech landfill. This challenge, which combines innovation, sustainability, and responsibility, is an opportunity for academia, industry, and the State to collaborate on solutions that close the life cycle of solar technology, preventing a green project from becoming an environmental problem.

Solar panels have a lifespan of approximately 30 years, and their composition includes materials such as silicon, aluminum, glass, and heavy metals—such as lead, cadmium, and tellurium—which, if not managed properly, can release toxic substances into the soil and water, affecting ecosystems and human health. The accumulation of these residues, especially in the Atacama Desert, represents an environmental risk, as their natural degradation is not fully understood.

Currently, Chile faces significant limitations in managing this waste due to the absence of a robust recycling infrastructure. Discarded panels often end up in landfills or desert areas. In other countries, this waste is classified as hazardous. The Extended Producer Responsibility Law (EPR Law), enacted in 2016, seeks to address this problem by including solar panels as priority products, requiring producers and importers to be responsible for waste management. However, current regulations do not clearly specify recycling or final disposal actions, leaving responsibility to individual corporate initiatives, which limits their effectiveness. Thus, it is necessary to incentivize the recycling process for these technologies that are inundating large areas of our desert.

Despite these shortcomings, initiatives are being implemented to mitigate the environmental impact. Some proposals promote a circular economy, such as "urban mining," which seeks to recover valuable materials (silicon, aluminum, copper) from discarded panels, with a potential to generate economic benefits of up to US$29 million and 6,700 jobs in the first years. Furthermore, reuse options for still-functional panels are being explored in small-scale applications, such as public lighting or housing, although the fragility of photovoltaic cells limits this practice. Companies and associations are beginning to develop recycling processes that include disassembly, component separation, and treatment of toxic materials, but large-scale recycling plants do not yet exist in our country. The development of these capacities requires effective public-private collaboration, where the State leads with clear policies, companies invest in technology, and universities provide frontier knowledge.

To strengthen photovoltaic waste management, Chile needs to advance more specific public policies and create specialized infrastructure. The Ministry of the Environment is working on a regulation to govern the management of electronic waste, including solar panels, within the framework of the EPR Law, with discussions planned to establish recovery targets. However, this is not yet enough. Designing more recyclable panels from the outset is a technical and ethical challenge that must be addressed by academia and industry, aiming for a just transition that leaves no environmental liabilities.

Meanwhile, public education and awareness about the importance of choosing manufacturers with recycling programs are crucial for minimizing environmental impact and seizing the economic opportunities of sustainable solar waste management.