Solar Cell Waste Recycling Act Enacted: Operators Discarding Large Volumes Must Work on RecyclingA new rule to recycle old solar panels instead of throwing them away
The Act on Promoting Recycling of Solar Cell Waste (Act No. 33 of Reiwa 8) was enacted on May 29, 2026 and promulgated on June 5. To prepare for mass disposal of solar panels from the late 2030s, it obligates businesses that plan to discard large volumes of commercial solar cells to take recycling measures based on standards set by the government. It takes effect on a date set by Cabinet Order within 1 year and 6 months of promulgation.
Key points
- Those planning to discard large volumes of commercial solar cells (solar power operators and others) must take recycling measures based on the standards, and must file a plan for large-volume disposal in advance
- Guidance and advice cover everyone planning to discard commercial solar cells
- The government will certify plans for cost-efficient recycling businesses, who will be exempt from prefectural permits under the Waste Management Act
- Background: panel waste is expected to reach up to about 500,000 tons a year from the late 2030s. Recycling costs JPY 8,000 to 12,000 per kW, versus about JPY 2,000 or more for landfill
- Commercial solar (10 kW or more) under FIT/FIP already has a system for reserving disposal costs. Extending the obligation to a wide range of disposers is to be considered and the system reviewed depending on circumstances (supplementary provisions)
What to do in practice
- Organize the scale of your equipment and the timing of removal or replacement, and check later Cabinet Orders to see whether you may be subject to the advance-filing duty
- For equipment with reserved disposal costs, review removal cost estimates in light of recycling cost levels
Solar panels are expected to wear out and be thrown away in large numbers from the late 2030s. So in 2026 a law was passed that requires power companies discarding many panels to work on recycling.
- 1. Government decidesSets goals and standards for what to do
- 2. NotifyCompanies discarding a lot file their plan in advance
- 3. RecycleRecyclers approved by the government process them at lower cost
Points
- From the late 2030s, panel waste is expected to reach up to about 500,000 tons a year
- Companies that throw away a lot must work on recycling in the way the government decides
- Today, burying costs about JPY 2,000 per kW, while recycling costs JPY 8,000 to 12,000, so recycling costs more
What the words mean
- Recycling
- Turning used things back into materials and using them again
- Obligation
- Something the rules say you must do
- Ministry of the Environment: Ministry of the Environment: Solar panel recycling (enactment and promulgation of the Act)
- Ministry of the Environment: Ministry of the Environment: Cabinet approval of the bill on promoting recycling of solar cell waste (April 3, 2026)
- Ministry of the Environment: Ministry of the Environment: The Act on Promoting Recycling of Solar Cell Waste (June 2026)
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.