Australia has too much solar panel waste
Listen to the story (Kenyan accent)
A new report says that solar panel waste could become a major issue sooner than expected.
Rong Deng from the University of NSW led the study. The report says that if solar panel production increases more than 400%, the world could run out of silver in just 20 years.
One reason for the problem is that in Australia, each solar panel costs $10 to $20 to recycle, so some people don’t do it. Another problem is that current technology can’t extract valuable materials from recycled panels.
Most recyclers only remove the metal frame and wiring, then shred the glass. The design of solar panels makes it hard to extract valuable materials like silicon, silver, and copper.
The report proposed a 12-year plan, including new technologies to extract metals and new recycling centers in cities.
Another plan that starts in 2025 might make manufacturers responsible for the disposal of old panels.
Australia’s weak recycling system is due to waste being sent to China until 2016. Richard Kirkman of Veolia Australia and New Zealand wants the government to fund projects for easy-to-recycle solar panel designs and better recycling processes.
The government recently said it will give $1 billion to make more solar panels in Australia. This could lead to designs that are easier to recycle. Right now, 90% of solar panels in Australia come from China.
Some Australians are replacing their solar panels early due to changing safety rules. Jeff Angel of the Total Environment Centre says the government needs to make rules about recycling faster. He says it’s very important to collect all the old solar panels.
Vocabulary33 words
- Report
- a written description of an event; story; article; the results of a study or project
- Solar
- of or related to the sun; produced by or coming from the sun
- Solar panel
- a device that changes energy from the sun into electricity; ☀️⚡?
- Waste
- garbage; trash; unwanted materials or products that are thrown away
- Major
- very important, big or significant
- Issue
- a subject or problem that people are thinking and/or talking about; matter; topic; problem
- Expect
- to think something will happen; forecast; predict; suppose
- Lead
- To be in charge; to guide others
- Study
- the activity of examining/studying something in detail to discover new information; research; investigation
- Production
- the process of making or creating something, usually on a large scale/in large numbers
- Silver
- A shiny, gray metal that is valuable; ?
- Recycle
- to use again; to change trash into something useable; repurpose; ♻️
- Current
- now; happening or being used or done now;
- Extract
- to remove; to collect and take away; to mine
- Valuable
- worth a lot of money; very important;
- Material
- a physical thing that you use to build or make other things (cotton is a common material used to make t-shirts)
- Remove
- to take out; to take away from; take off;
- Frame
- A structure that supports or surrounds something; the basic structure of a building, vehicle, or piece of furniture that other parts are added onto (pictures are in a picture frame)
- Wiring
- A group of thin wires that carry electricity
- Shred
- To tear or rip into small pieces; To cut something into tiny pieces
- Design
- The way something is planned and made to look; the way something is made
- Silicon
- A hard, shiny element that is used in making computers and other electronic devices;
- Copper
- A soft, red-brown metal;
- Propose
- to suggest; to put forward; to recommend; to submit
- Manufacture
- To make or produce something, often on a large scale
- Dispose
- To get rid of; To throw something away
- Due to
- because of; owing to
- Fund
- to provide the money to pay for an event, activity or thing; pay for; finance; support
- Process
- a procedure; a series of actions that you do to achieve a result/finish something; operation;
- Billion
- 1,000,000,000 = one-billion
- Lead to
- if an action or event leads to something, it makes that thing happen or exist; begin a process that causes something to happen
- Replace
- to take the place of; to substitute; to come after; to fill in; swap; exchange
- Collect
- bring together; gather; take in
Quiz
Answer key
1. We could run out of silver in a short time. 2. Valuable materials are difficult to extract. 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A _____ report says that solar panel waste could become a major _____ sooner than expected.
Rong Deng from the _____ of NSW led the study. The report says that if solar panel production _____ more than 400%, the world could run out of silver in just _____ years.
One reason for the problem _____ that in Australia, each solar panel costs $10 to $_____ to recycle, so some people don’t do it. _____ problem is that current technology can’t extract valuable _____ from recycled panels.
Most _____ only remove the metal frame and wiring, then shred the _____. The design of solar panels makes it hard to extract valuable materials like _____, silver, and copper.
The report proposed a 12-year plan, _____ new technologies to extract metals and new recycling _____ in cities.
Another plan that starts in _____ might make manufacturers responsible for the disposal of old _____.
Australia’s weak recycling _____ is due to waste being sent to China until 2016. Richard Kirkman of Veolia Australia and New Zealand _____ the government to fund projects for easy-to-recycle solar panel _____ and better recycling processes.
The _____ recently said it will give $1 billion to make more solar panels in _____. This could lead to designs that are _____ to recycle. Right now, 90% of solar panels in Australia come from _____.
Some Australians are _____ their solar panels early due to changing safety _____. Jeff Angel of the Total Environment Centre says the government needs to _____ rules about recycling faster. He says it’s very important to _____ all the old solar panels.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think recycling solar panels is important?
- Why do you think most of Australia’s solar panels are imported from China?
- Who should be responsible for the disposal of old solar panels (consumers, manufacturers, or the government)?
- In your opinion, is it dangerous to keep making more and more solar panels? Why or why not?
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