Author: PPD Team Date: 12/06/2025
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has released draft guidelines for handling and storing waste solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, panels, or cells. These fall under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, which took effect on April 1, 2023.
Solar waste is covered under Chapter V of the rules. Although excluded from extended producer responsibility (EPR) recycling targets, it must still be stored by producers and recyclers until 2034–35. Entities handling such waste are also required to submit annual returns and follow CPCB’s standard operating procedures.
The draft guidelines are meant to ensure safe, environmentally sound storage, transport, and handling. They address risks such as air pollution from burning, groundwater contamination, and health hazards from heavy metals. Waste includes damaged or end-of-life panels, manufacturing rejects, and items broken during transport or installation.
Materials found in solar waste include glass, aluminium, silicon wafers, plastics, and metals like lead, cadmium, arsenic, and copper. Open dumping and sale to unauthorised buyers are banned. Producers must set up take-back systems, publish collection points, and share contact details and recycling links.
Transport must be done in covered vehicles, preferably authorised for hazardous waste, and must follow the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.
Storage areas must be dry, covered, and ventilated, with impervious flooring to prevent leaching. Panels should be stacked no more than 20 layers or 2 metres high. Safety measures include fire protection systems, emergency plans, clear labels, and routine inspections. For category CEEW 14 waste, a minimum of 19.5 cubic metres of storage space per tonne is required.