How toxic are your solar panels? The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC), a group that has done more than any other to clean up the electronics industry, attempted to answer that question today with the release of its Solar Scorecard. It didn't get very far. Of the 25 solar manufacturers that SVTC contacted, only 14, which together represent just 24 percent of the solar market, even responded. And their answers weren't always heartening. Among SVTC's findings:
Six companies report that their products contain lead, a potent neurotoxin.
Three companies report that their products contain cadmium, a known carcinogen.
One company uses nitrogen triflouride, a potent greenhouse gas
Only seven companies provide recycling free of charge
Only eight companies said their would support "extended producer responsibility" laws that would require them to take back or recycle their products
That many solar panels contain lead and cadmium, which are being phased out by computer manufacturers, is no small matter. In the coming years, SVTC estimates that 1.5 billion pounds of solar panel waste containing 2 million pounds of lead and 600,000 pounds of cadmium will be disposed of in California alone. Some older solar panels are already being ditched well ahead of their 20-year lifespans as cheaper, more efficient versions hit the market. Nevertheless, even the stringent recyling laws of California and Europe exempt solar panels (though Europe's may soon include them). SVTC wants to see solar panel recycling become standard practice along with efforts by solar manufacturers to phase out toxins. "In order for a product to be really green," says SVTC executive director Sheila Davis, "it needs to be green throughout its entire lifecycle."
PV modules at the end-of-life have a recipe for e-waste—valuable metals mixed with toxic materials. There is a growing concern that PV modules will be found in future e-waste streams sent to developing countries.
PV manufacturing relies on the use of hazardous chemicals similar to those used in the electronics industry which led to widespread contamination at manufacturing sites (Silicon Valley has the highest concentration of Superfund sites in the USA). PVの製造は、電子産業で使われる製造拠点(シリコンバレーは米国で最もスーパーファンドが集中したところ)で広範囲にわたる汚染につながった電子産業で使われるものと類似した危険な化学製品の使用に頼っている。
●Reduction Plan(化学製品縮小計画)
Reducing chemical use per module has benefits to the environment, workers, and the cost of making PV. モジュールにつき化学製品の使用を減らすことは、環境、労働者とPVを作るためのコストに利点がある。
●Workers Rights, Health and Safety(労働者の権利、健康と安全)
PV manufacturing should be done in a way that protects worker rights, health and safety. PV製造は、労働者の権利、健康と安全を保護する方向でされなければなりません。
●Supply chain(供給チェーン)
As global supply chains become increasingly complex, it is often not known what is happening regarding worker and environmental impacts in the supply chain 世界的な供給チェーンがますます複雑になり、供給チェーンの中で労働者と環境影響に関して何が起こっているかはあまりわかっていません。
● Conflict Minerals(紛争鉱物)
Tin is a conflict mineral and its use in PV is widespread. スズは紛争鉱物です。そしてPVのその使用は広範囲にわたります。
● Module Toxicity(モジュール毒性)
Using toxic materials in PV poses a risk to the environment and workers, and increases operating and disposal costs. PVで有毒な材料を使うことは、環境と労働者に危険をもたらし、操作および処分経費が増額します。
● Cradle to Cradle Recycling ( 揺りかごから揺りかごリサイクルへ)
There are numerous materials used in PV that are finite resources and making PV from recycled materials will reduce waste, improve recycling markets and lessen the overall impact on natural resources. PVで使用される多数の材料があります。それは有限な資源です。回収材料からPVを作るのは、浪費を抑えて、リサイクル市場を改善し、天然資源に対する全体的影響を少なくするでしょう。
● Prison Labor(囚人労働)
Prison labor does not have the same oversight as non-prison labor and prisoners may be exposed to higher levels of pollution in the workplace.
Many solar power plants, including PV power plants are being built on sensitive ecological habitat in some of the areas that will be most affected by climate change. PV発電所を含む多くの太陽光発電所が、気候変化によって最も影響を受けるエリアのうちのいくつかの外部影響を受けやすい生態学的な生息地に建設されています。
● Water (水)
There are significant amounts of water used and wastewater emissions for making PV. PVを作るためにかなりの量の水が使われ、廃水が放出されます。
●Energy Use & Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions(エネルギー使用と温室効果ガス(GHG)排出)
Reporting on energy use and GHGs will encourage manufacturers to use the cleanest energy possible to make PV. エネルギー使用とGHGsを報告することは、メーカーがPVを作るために可能な限り最もクリーンなエネルギーを使うことを奨励します。