Solar Battery Disposal and Solar Battery Recycling

Solar batteries have a limited lifetime and the issue of proper disposal will come to play. Therefore solar battery disposal and solar panel recycling needs to be taken into account.

How to dispose off an obsolete solar battery?

Once a solar battery is dead, the proper thing to do is to disconnect it from the solar system and dispose it properly. It is not recommended to connect the old battery with a new battery because this will cause problems. When disposing off used solar batteries, it is important to keep them in separate plastic bags. Even though the battery might not be able to power your device anymore, it may still have a little power left inside, which may cause them to leak or explode when jammed together.

Different battery technologies

Generally, there are two main types of solar batteries: the Lead-Acid (L-A) and the Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) batteries. The L-A batteries are the more common types of batteries. They are equally more prone to leaks than the NiCad batteries. Whichever types of battery your solar system has, it is important to properly dispose them whenever its lifespan expires or when it damages. Proper disposal is essential to keep these batteries out of the environment on the expiration of their lifespan. Fortunately, unlike some consumer products, these batteries can be recycled and used to produce other solar batteries.

Solar battery disposal and recycling

What options are available for solar battery disposal?

There are several options for you to properly dispose off your used solar batteries. Most local governments have waste management systems where batteries and other obsolete goods can be properly disposed. Contact the waste management office in your city and find out where you can drop off your used solar battery. In addition, some local governments may have collaboration with a waste management company and created a special drop-off location. Most cities also provide recycle boxes for batteries at the department of public service or at their city halls. Automotive stores as well as other places that sell solar batteries can help you dispose and recycle your used batteries too. You will definitely find one or few of these options in your area.

How about disposing off solar panels?

PV modules contain substances such as aluminum, glass, and semi-conductor materials that may be recycled and reused either in manufacturing new PV modules or for use in other similar products. Most owners of PV modules do not consider the proper way of disposing their PV modules that eventually need replacement. This Is because of the long life span of 20+ years. However with the rapid growth of the industry and the ever increasing number of PV owners, there have been several initiatives for the recycling of solar panels. One example is the WEEE directives. Also organization PV Cycle was started to handle future solar panel recycling.