# Toward traceable global systems for end-of-life photovoltaic waste

## TL;DR

As solar panels age, they are being sent to places with weak recycling systems, creating environmental risks that need better global tracking and management.

## Contribution

The paper introduces the need for traceable global systems to manage end-of-life photovoltaic waste.

## Key findings

- Degraded solar panels are flowing to emerging markets with limited recycling infrastructure.
- Environmental risks are rising due to poor regulatory oversight in importing regions.
- Cross-border governance and traceable systems are essential to mitigate these risks.

## Abstract

Rapid global expansion of photovoltaics is driving degraded module flows to emerging markets. This flow occurs amid limited regulatory oversight and recycling capacity, posing substantial environmental risks to importing regions. Mitigating these risks necessitates cross-border governance and traceable end-of-life systems.