Solar panels on the roof of a Nara elementary school (Makoto Ito)

EDITORIAL: To expand solar panel utilization, recycling system urgently needed

（社説）太陽光パネル　リサイクル進む制度を

Solar panels supported the expansion of renewable energy in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

These panels are said to have life spans of between 20 and 30 years, meaning a large volume will be discarded from the late 2030s.

One estimate is that as much as 500,000 tons would be disposed of in a year.

That is a volume similar to discarded cars and is also equivalent to the total volume of the four major home appliances being discarded.

After the Central Environment Council compiled its view in March, the Environment Ministry and economy ministry began considering making the recycling of solar panels mandatory and setting up a system in which producers and importers of panels would shoulder the expense.

But the ministries abandoned that plan and are now considering an alternative.

Establishing a structure that will ensure recycling is urgently needed.

Discussions until now have been based on expanded producer responsibility in which manufacturers of solar panels would bear a certain responsibility for disposing or reusing the materials once the solar panels were no longer used

But the Cabinet Legislation Bureau pointed out that the proposal would contradict the existing legal framework regarding recycling.

A major point is that users of home appliances and cars now bear the recycling cost.

In fiscal 2023, solar energy generation increased by about twentyfold over fiscal 2011 and now accounts for about 10 percent of total power generation.

The government is striving to convert renewable energy into a major energy source so expansion of solar power is a must.

Because of that, progress has to be made in promoting reuse and developing recycling technology so that a system is established to ensure proper disposal and reuse of the materials found in solar panels.

The bad example of nuclear power, which has failed to resolve the issue of disposal of radioactive waste, should not be repeated.

Japan is said to have the largest solar panel installation capacity per land area among the major nations.

But there is still room to further expand installation, by utilizing the roofs of homes and buildings, the sides of roads and railway tracks as well as unused farm land.

There are expectations for further spread of installation locations with progress being made to develop solar cells in sheet form.

But concerns have been raised about the effect on the ecosystem and scenery as well as possible landslides, particularly in Hokkaido with its mega solar farms.

It will be necessary to proceed with installation while conducting thorough discussions with local communities.

The need to expand natural energy is unmistakable given that it would be an entirely domestic energy source as well as a measure to deal with climate change.

We cannot depend forever on nuclear energy, which comes with the risk of tremendous damage should an accident occur and also faces major issues of economic feasibility and waste.

The government is said to be considering making mandatory reporting on the actual state of recycling.

But can a truly effective system be implemented only through requiring reports and requesting that efforts be made to recycle?

While solar panels contain materials such as aluminum, silver and copper with a high value, it is much more difficult to reuse the glass now found in such panels.

Other issues that will have to be dealt with are the higher cost of recycling compared to simply burying the discarded solar panels as well as the fact that many of the panels are made abroad.

If recycling is made obligatory, it would promote further technology development and lead to a reduction of expenses if the recycling volume expands.

Establishing an effective system will be indispensable.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 17

太陽光パネルは、東日本大震災後の再生可能エネルギー拡大を支えてきた。その寿命は２０～３０年とされる。２０３０年代後半から大量に処分され、ピーク時には年間５０万トンとなる見通しだ。これは現在の自動車と並ぶ排出量で、家電４品目全体とも同程度だ。
　そこで、環境省と経済産業省は、中央環境審議会などが３月にまとめた意見を踏まえ、太陽光パネルのリサイクルを義務づけ、製造業者や輸入業者らに費用を負担させる制度を検討していた。
　ところがこれを断念し、見直すという。ではどうするのか。確実にリサイクルが進む体制を整えるのが急務だ。
　進めてきた検討は、生産者が製品利用後の再資源化や処分に一定の責任を負う「拡大生産者責任」という考え方に基づくものだ。しかし内閣法制局から、従来のリサイクル法制と整合性がとれない、と指摘されたという。家電や自動車は使用者が負担する。
　太陽光は２３年度の発電量が１１年度の約２０倍に拡大。電力の１割を占める。再エネは政府が主力電源化を掲げており、太陽光の拡大も必須だ。このために、リユースの促進やリサイクルの技術開発も進め、確実な処理、再資源化が進む制度がなくてはならない。放射性廃棄物の処理問題が解決されていない原発の二の舞いを演じてはいけない。
　国土面積あたりの設備容量は主要国で最大と指摘されるが、住宅やビルの屋上、道路や鉄道ののり面、遊休農地など拡大の余地は十分にある。シート型の太陽電池の開発も進み、設置場所の広がりも期待される。
　一方で、北海道のメガソーラーなど、各地で生態系や景観、土砂災害への影響も懸念される。地元と協議しつつ丁寧に進めることが必要だ。
　自然エネルギーは、純国産エネルギーとしても、気候変動対策としても拡大の必要性は揺らがない。事故時に甚大な被害の恐れがあり、経済性や廃棄物など重い課題がある原発にいつまでも頼れない。
　政府は今後、リサイクルの実施状況の報告の義務付けなどを検討するという。だが、報告義務やリサイクルの努力義務で実効性は確保されるだろうか。
　パネルはアルミや銀、銅など高い価値の資源を含むが、ガラスなどは再資源化が進みにくい。リサイクル費用は埋め立て処分費より高く、海外製が多いなどの課題もある。
　リサイクルを義務化してこそ、その技術も進み、扱う数量が増えて費用を低減する効果も期待できる。実効性ある制度の構築が不可欠だ。

(2025年9月17日)

人気コンテンツ

EDITORIAL: To expand solar panel utilization, recycling system urgently needed
（社説）太陽光パネル　リサイクル進む制度を