Alberta is introducing North America’s first mandatory solar panel recycling program and banning the units from landfill disposal starting Oct. 1.
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The provincial government announced the initiative on Sept. 3, aiming to keep thousands of tonnes of material out of landfills as older renewable infrastructure reaches the end of its lifecycle.
Under the new regulations, an environmental recycling fee of $14 will apply to every new solar panel sold in Alberta. For a standard residential installation of 20 panels, the fee adds $280 to the overall cost, representing less than 1.5 per cent of a typical system’s total price.
“Alberta has never been afraid to lead,” environment and protected areas minister Grant Hunter said in a statement. “We will not wait until mountains of dead solar panels are piling up in our landfills before acting.”
According to government projections, more than 95 per cent of solar panels currently installed across Alberta will reach the end of their operational lifespans by 2045. That wave of decommissioning is expected to produce up to 72,700 tonnes of waste material.
The province plans to recover reusable glass, aluminum, silicon, silver, and copper from decommissioned units to supply raw materials for new products and foster local recycling operations.
Affordability and Utilities Minister RJ Sigurdson said placing the fee on new panels ensures consumers, rather than municipal taxpayers, fund end-of-life disposal costs.
The Alberta Recycling Management Authority will oversee the collection and processing system in partnership with industry operators. The $14 fee applies exclusively to new units supplied on or after Oct. 1, with no retroactive charges for existing installations.
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