State mulls dump ban
Queensland is considering banning the dumping of solar panels.
The Queensland government has proposed a plan to ban the dumping of solar panels in landfill within the next five to ten years in an effort to reduce electronic waste.
The plan also includes incentives for the repair and reuse of household electronic products, such as mobile phones and fridges.
The state's energy minister, Mick de Brenni, believes that the proposal will create more jobs in the clean energy sector.
In partnership with the Smart Energy Council, the government plans to run a pilot solar panel recycling program to investigate how to incentivise solar installers to remove end-of-life products and transport them to collection centres.
The draft plan also includes proposals to equip e-product retailers with materials to increase product longevity and offer vouchers for consumers to make more environmentally conscious choices.
Queensland is expected to have 25 million solar panels installed over the next decade, which could create up to 17,000 tonnes of landfill waste by 2030.
The government has invited feedback on the draft plan.