While solar power development has progressed at an unprecedented rate in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, waste management has not kept pace, as a significant amount of end-of-life electronic waste and other by-products are being dumped in Delhi-NCR region.
A joint report by the Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group and the World Resources Institute reveals that informal waste aggregators are dumping solar waste—including end-of-life solar panels, photovoltaic cells, lithium-ion batteries, and other hazardous electronic waste—in Delhi-NCR. This region is already burdened with excessive waste, contaminating groundwater, other water resources, and air quality.
In informal discussions with several waste aggregators in two sates, validated by non-profits, researchers, start-ups, and formal recyclers in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, the report indicated that there is no reliable quantitative data or traceability mechanism available to determine the proportion of this material that is ultimately processed through informal recycling operations in Delhi-NCR and other northern regions of India.
In Tamil Nadu, the modus operandi involves formal recyclers passing on non-profitable scraps, such as aluminum frames and photovoltaic cells, along with other hazardous materials to Delhi-NCR.
Delhi-NCR has around 5,000 e-waste processing units that employ more than 50,000 people.
The report, “More Watts Less Waste,” states that informal recyclers rely on rudimentary dismantling and scrap-recovery techniques. While aluminium frames and external copper wiring or junction boxes are manually removed and sold as scrap, the remaining components of the modules—such as glass, polymer encapsulant, silicon cells, and embedded metals—largely go unrecovered. Often, the panels are crushed or broken, resulting in a mix of glass, polymer, and silicon fragments, which is disposed of as general waste or sent to landfills.
The report warns that this creates new environmental and public health concerns for Delhi, which is already dealing with legacy waste. Improper handling of solar panels can release hazardous substances into the environment, exposing workers and nearby communities to health risks.
As of now, India has generated an estimated 146 kilotonnes of solar PV waste by the end of 2024. By 2047, cumulative solar waste could reach 11,221 kilotonnes, according to the report.
The study also raises concerns about the next wave of clean energy waste: lithium-ion batteries. Batteries from consumer electronics are already being processed through informal dismantling channels, while India's rapidly expanding electric vehicle market is expected to generate large volumes of end-of-life batteries in the coming years. These batteries contain valuable materials but also present risks of fire, explosion, and chemical exposure if handled improperly.
The report calls for specific Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets for photovoltaic systems, dedicated recycling infrastructure, financial mechanisms to manage orphan waste, and greater integration of informal workers into formal collection systems. It also urges policymakers to begin planning now for the forthcoming wave of end-of-life electric vehicle batteries.
