Hazardous Waste from Solar Energy?
A recent Associated Press (AP) article on hazardous waste in the solar industry was widely circulated on the web and ran in most major media and TV networks. If you’ve been following SVTC’s work, you know that hazardous waste from solar is news, but discussions about the solar industry’s environmental impacts are not new. Since …
SCORECARD FINDS SOLAR INDUSTRY LEADERS MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD SVTC’S ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL PERFORMANCE GOALS
Solar industry leaders are making slow but steady progress…
Why SVTC Created a Lifecycle Website
At SVTC, we’ve learned that just because we can’t always see pollution does not mean that it doesn’t exist. This is certainly the case for solar energy. Solar panels, after all, don’t belch smoke or emit horrible odors from dirty smoke stacks. So it’s difficult to imagine that the panels that sit passively on your …
Solar Scorecard 2011 Launch
Earlier this week, SVTC released our 2011 Solar Scorecard. One of our goals with the Solar Scorecard is to allow residential and commercial consumers to see where manufacturers stand on issues related to the environment, sustainability and social justice issues. Transparency is important as informed consumers make the smartest choices. If you want to …
The Solar Company Surveys have been sent!
Last year the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition released our first Solar Scorecard ranking solar manufacturers on their commitment to the environment and other socially responsible issues. The scores for the companies were based on their responses to our survey. In preparation for our 2011 Solar Scorecard we just sent out the new Solar Company Survey …
Who should pay to clean up?
Yesterday President Obama visited the Solyndra solar plant in Fremont where 3,0000 people are working to build a solar facility. Obama used the catastrophic oil spill in the gulf as an opportunity to highlight the need for green jobs and to develop alternative energy. While the administration is currently advocating for alternative energy and being portrayed as a …
Survey Wrap Up
We received some great coverage on our first Solar Scorecard. Several companies have contacted us to ask how they can be part of the next scorecard, many have already submitted a form so they can be included next year, and we know that customers are asking their installers if they use panels from those who …
#1 Recycling laws save lives and protects human health and the environment
Mandatory takeback and responsible recycling laws can be written to ensure that the environment and those who dismantle and recycle solar PV panels are protected during dismantling. Unfortunately, our history has proven that we don’t know how to handle electronic waste (e-waste), such as televisions and computers. We are much less prepared for the new …
#3 -Programs in the 21st century should measure their success by how much of their recycled materials are actually used in the production of new products.
Most recycling programs today were designed 20-30 years ago by local or state governments. These programs were designed without manufacturer participation, and that’s a big problem. It’s a new day with solar and other new “clean” technologies entering the market. These state of the art technologies and complex products should require manufacture participation and state …
#4 – Mandatory takeback and recycling laws can help stop sham recycling
Mandatory takeback and recycling laws that enforce uniform recycling standards will ensure high standards and sustainable practices throughout the solar industry. Without basic standards the solar industry can expect to have its reputation damaged by a few solar companies who take the take the low-road and take shortcuts that lead to dumping and environmental degradation. …