Is Solar Toxic? Solar's Responsibility To Environmental Protection

With the Gulf Oil Spill in the news every day

, smog in the air, and gas prices inching up as summer approaches, it is easy to see why we really need a big push toward alternative and renewable energy sources. There are several technologies that hold great promise in helping us reduce greenhouse emissions and reducing our dependence on "foreign oil" including hydrogen fuel cells for cars, wind power from Wind Mills, more efficient and powerful batteries, etc. But none of these in my opinion hold as much promise as Solar Power. Solar Power through Photovoltaic Solar Cells is relatively cheap (especially after initial start up costs) and as long as the sun is around its offers the hope of endless, clean power. But there are some downsides to this amazing technology.

Solar Panels work by turning sunlight into electricity which can then be used to power most anything. Even though the energy they produce is clean and relatively non-polluting they are made with materials that can be very toxic. Solar panel manufacturing produces by-products like silicon tetrachloride, dusts, and greenhouse gases like sulfur hexafluoride. Silicon tetrachloride, for example, makes land unsuitable for growing crops. And for each ton of polysilicon produced, four tons of silicon tetrachloride are generated.

Many solar panels are manufactured in China where labor is cheap and they have very few environmental laws to protect against dumping or the release of toxins into the environment. Also if the cells become damaged or catch fire they will release these toxins into the surrounding environment. Solar panels also do not last forever and there is very little recycling of these used panels so the majority will end up in landfills as e-waste.

There are a few steps that need to be taken before Solar Energy can really become what we all hope it will be.

* Reduce and eventually eliminate the use of toxic materials and develop environmentally sustainable practices.

* Ensure that solar PV manufacturers are responsible for the lifecycle impacts of their products through Extended Producer Responsibility.

* Ensure proper testing of new and emerging materials based on a precautionary approach.

* Expand recycling technology and design products for easy recycling.

* Promote high-quality 'green jobs' that protect worker health and safety and provide a living wage throughout the global PV industry.

* Protect community health and safety throughout the global PV industry, including supply chains and end-of-life recycling.

by: Patrick Hayes

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