It is to expected take 155 days to completely remove the 135,000 damaged solar panels left by Typhoon Danas in July, environmental groups said on Wednesday, urging the establishment of a mechanism to manage waste solar panels and ensure reasonable recycling fees.
High-value utilization of waste solar panels is currently prioritized at a nationwide processing capacity of 6.5 million tonnes per month, meaning that the remaining 135,000 damaged panels would require 155 days to be cleared out, Miaoli County Environmental Protection Association president Chen Chi-chung (陳祺忠) said.
Panels that are too deformed to be high-value utilized must be crushed or thermally melted, but such processes would generate lots of waste materials that require further control, he said, adding that relevant data should be disclosed.
Photo: Lin Yi-chang, Taipei Times
Chen also suggested the recycling fees levied on solar panel users should be calibrated to actual processing fees.
As waste panels’ high-value utilization fees range from NT$25 to NT$30 per kilogram, processing 1 kilowatt of waste panels would cost NT$1,953 to NT$2,343, he said.
However, the solar panel recycling fund set up in 2020 levies only NT$1,000 per kilowatt in recycling fees on users, which is payable over a 10-year period and clearly insufficient, Chen said.
Herlin Hsieh (謝和霖), secretary-general of Taiwan Watch Institute, said that concern had been raised over the recycling fee being insufficient when the fund was established, but it was countered by the viewpoint that the fund’s interest accumulated over 20 years would be enough to cover recycling fees in the future.
While the reality five years later is not as optimistic as initially thought, advanced recycling techniques and increased labor costs have driven up waste panel recycling costs, he said, calling on the Energy Administration to increase the rate of recycling.
Changhua Environmental Protection Union researcher Lin Cheng-han (林政翰) said that transportation and manual dismantling would incur fees on top of the recycling fee.
Panels that cannot be high-value utilized would also push up the costs, as their reuse value is relatively low, he said.
If waste management costs become so high that panel users are unwilling to bear them, illegal disposal could ensue, Lin said, urging the government to make the inquiry system of solar panel serial numbers open to the public to allow for greater oversight.
In response, the Resource Circulation Administration said the Ministry of Environment would conduct a comprehensive examination of the waste panel management process along with the Ministry of Economic Affairs to propose a standard operation procedure.
The environment ministry is also planning to amend the Waste Disposal Act (廢棄物清理法) to enhance the product liability systems for solar panels and wind turbine blades, it said, adding that the bill is expected to be sent to the legislature for review by the end of this year.
The Energy Administration said the economic ministry would discuss the feasibility of increasing waste panel recycling fees.
Additional reporting by CNA
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS