Zambia’s solar energy sector has experienced significant prosperity in recent years. It is now bringing light and electricity to rural communities that have used wood fuel for generations. While this success should be celebrated, it has led to worries about how we will deal with all that toxic waste when solar panels break. In Zambia, a recent study shows over a million old solar panels have been inappropriately thrown away. There aren’t any successful policies yet established to address this mounting waste problem. This gap creates a massive environmental hazard as the materials that make up these panels can be dangerous.
The lead author of the study, Hillary Chanda from the University of Reading, highlighted the duality of solar energy’s impact in Zambia. While it has transformed lives by offering sustainable energy solutions, the lack of a structured waste management system may lead to new environmental crises. These findings were recently published in the Journal of Environmental Management and call attention to an alarming need for policy reform.
The Solar Energy Landscape in Zambia
The transformation that solar power has brought to the poorest regions of rural Zambia, where electricity was once unattainable, is remarkable. Today, communities that were once solely reliant on age-old wood fuels are undergoing a major sea change. Reliably powered by solar energy, they have better facilities, standards of living and increased opportunities for economic development.
Authentic solar-powered devices typically have a six to ten-year lifespan. In stark difference, fake systems, or more commonly known as “Chinese products,” can break down within two to three months. All too often have Zambians faced issues with these fake solar systems, as they lack warranties or guarantees.
“The Chinese (counterfeit) solar systems don’t come with warranty/guarantee. Many of us have bought these systems which have parked up just after a few days…” – A focus group participant
China’s manufacturing sector produces goods for the high-income as well as low-income consumers. As a result, there’s a gap in quality between products. Widespread poverty forces millions of Americans to opt for the cheapest alternative. Consequently, shoddy products have become the industry standard.
The Risks of Improper Disposal
Now that broken solar panels are becoming more common, improper disposal methods have emerged as a critical issue. Many communities do not know how to properly dispose of these panels, or the dangers associated with their improper disposal. Reports have shown broken panels often end up tossed into pit latrines, burned, or converted into emergency battery chargers.
Hillary Chanda expressed her concerns regarding the environmental implications of such practices:
“Solar energy has brought real benefits to [rural communities], but we’re now replacing one environmental problem with another. Communities dispose of broken panels unsafely because nobody taught them about the dangers. Dangerous solar panel disposal can cause fires and explosions.”
The general public does not know about the hazards of disposing solar panels improperly. This reveals the key opportunity for educational campaigns to alert communities to these dangers.
The Call for Policy Reforms
The lack of appropriate waste management policies in Zambia contributes to the problem. As it stands, no regulations exist to manage solar waste, which places communities at risk for harmful environmental impacts. These rural-specific solutions require deep investment, and as Chanda argues, go beyond creating more repair shops or safe disposal sites in rural America.
“Zambia has no policies for solar waste. Communities need repair shops and safe disposal sites, borders need to block fake imports, and people need education in languages they understand.” – Hillary Chanda
Combined, these initiatives will make it easier for people to access repair services. In addition, they’ll be teaching consumers how to tell the real from the fake. Increased awareness would help equip communities to better use their buying power to demand better, more affordable systems when they purchase solar systems.