New South Wales is moving towards Australia’s first mandatory solar panel recycling scheme as the state prepares for a sharp rise in end-of-life photovoltaic waste.
The NSW Government has released a draft regulation that would require solar panel suppliers and brand owners to take greater responsibility for collecting, recycling and recovering materials from panels once they reach the end of their useful life.
The proposal comes as NSW now has more than 1.18 million rooftop solar systems installed across homes, businesses, schools and community facilities.
Solar Panel Waste Could Reach 89,000 Tonnes
NSW currently generates around 14,000 tonnes of solar panel waste each year.
That figure is expected to increase more than sixfold to around 89,000 tonnes annually by 2045 as the state’s large installed base of solar panels begins reaching the end of its operating life.
The proposed mandatory product stewardship scheme is intended to divert more of that material away from landfill and into reuse, recycling and resource recovery.
More than 95 per cent of the materials in a typical solar panel can potentially be recycled, including glass, aluminium, copper, silver and silicon.
Solar Suppliers Would Take Responsibility for End-of-Life Panels
Under the proposed framework, companies supplying regulated solar panels into NSW would be required to participate in an approved product stewardship arrangement.
The NSW EPA intends to work with a Product Stewardship Organisation, or PSO, that would administer the scheme and coordinate funding and collection arrangements.
Where such an agreement is in place, suppliers bringing regulated panels into NSW would be required to participate in the scheme.
The draft rules currently cover rooftop and utility-scale photovoltaic panels, including:
- Monocrystalline solar panels
- Bifacial solar panels
Portable solar panels and accessories such as cables, racking, inverters and battery storage systems are not currently included in the proposed scheme.
Recycling Could Support New Manufacturing Industry
The Government says the proposal is not only aimed at reducing landfill.
Recovering larger quantities of aluminium, glass, silicon, copper and silver could create opportunities for local recycling, remanufacturing and advanced manufacturing businesses.
An issues paper released alongside the draft regulation is seeking feedback on whether NSW could develop a stronger domestic solar-panel recycling and remanufacturing sector.
The consultation is examining potential investment barriers, infrastructure requirements, workforce needs and opportunities for developing local supply chains.
NSW Previously Pushed for National Scheme
The proposal follows earlier work led by NSW to develop a national approach to solar panel waste.
In August 2025, Commonwealth, state and territory energy ministers agreed to progress work towards a national product stewardship system after NSW advocated for a mandatory model.
At the time, national solar panel waste was forecast to rise from around 59,340 tonnes in 2025 to 91,165 tonnes by 2030, highlighting the scale of the emerging waste challenge.
Consultation Open Until November
The NSW EPA is seeking feedback from:
- Solar and recycling businesses
- Manufacturers
- Local councils
- Researchers
- Unions and workers
- Government agencies
- Community members
Submissions on the draft regulation, Regulatory Impact Statement and associated issues paper are open until 5pm on Monday, 16 November 2026.
Feedback will help shape the final design of the scheme, including how collection and recycling should operate and what role NSW could play in developing a domestic circular manufacturing industry for solar panels.
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