CPSC SOLAR PANEL STEWARDSHIP
California’s solar boom has peaked, and the wave of panel removals is accelerating. Installers and residents are already struggling with stacks of retired panels and no public collection sites to take them. More than 52,947 MW of solar are installed statewide, supported by billions in incentives, tax credits, and utility programs.
CPSC’s research shows that panels are being removed long before their time. Across multiple pilots, the average age of removed panels is just 10.3 years, even though panels are designed to last about 30 years, leaving 20.9 years of life remaining. These early removals often for upgrades and electrification projects are producing a fast-growing waste stream that local governments cannot manage. With no statewide collection system, panels are stacked up in warehouses, job sites, garages, and illegal dumps.
Local governments now look to CPSC for guidance because residents, installers, and haulers need help today. CPSC provides policy expertise, training, and producer-responsibility solutions to move panels out of storage and into safe reuse and recycling pathways.
SOLAR PANEL OVERVIEW
California’s rapid buildout created one of the largest solar fleets in the nation, over 14.7 million homes worth of installed capacity, plus 2,170 companies and 80,056 jobs built around rooftop solar. But the state does not have a matching system to collect retired equipment. Panels installed through government-funded incentives, rebates, and tax credits are now coming offline, and installers report growing backlogs due to limited recycling access.
Most retired panels remain functional. In Marin, 67% of residents with old panels keep them in storage waiting for a recycling option, and 54% of installers do not give customers any end-of-life advice. This gap leaves panels sitting in garages, yards, and job sites for months and years.
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Lack of Statewide Infrastructure Increases Risks
California has no cohesive collection infrastructure, so cities and counties must piece together their own temporary solutions. CPSC case studies show 1,000+ panels documented in storage piles, disposal quotes of $20–$35 per panel and growing incidents of panels hidden in e-waste bins and denied at HHW sites.
SOLAR PANEL PRODUCERS IN CALIFORNIA
A strong extended producer responsibility program will require solar manufacturers and brand owners that sell panels in California to register and stay accountable for their products over the full life cycle. To provide producer accountability, a permanent oversight program must:
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Maintain a public list of registered solar panel producers that sell into the California market.
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Require producers to identify which panel models are approved for sale in the state, and ensure that only registered products can enter the market
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Link producer registration to clear obligations for collection, reuse, recycling, and reporting, so regulators and communities can track performance and enforce improvement over time.
The California Energy Commission (CEC) oversees solar panels entering the state’s market through building standards and related programs. The Building Energy Efficiency Standards, also known as the Energy Code, require solar photovoltaic systems or solar ready roofs on most new homes, and state incentives encourage even more customer owned solar installations. As these policies continue to expand solar use, planning for responsible collection, reuse, and recycling of panels at end of life becomes even more important.
RECOVERY
Despite their serious potential to lead the charge for durable green energy, solar panels have a limited life span. Due to a current lack of understanding regarding recycling and reuse management standards, owners and installers don't have clear information on how to properly dispose of unwanted solar panels.
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Reuse is preferred over recycling for working panels as it promotes equity. Promoting the reuse of solar panels allows people to purchase solar panels at lower cost, ensuring greater access to green energy, and serving as a form of source reduction. For solar panels to be reused, they must have active safety certifications, verified on CEC's solar equipment list.​
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When solar panels are no longer working or ineligible for reuse, they become regulated by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). DTSC regulates unwanted solar panels under the Universal Waste regulations, similar to electronic waste. Solar panels destined for recycling or disposal need to go through authorized handlers.
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DTSC has classified organizations allowed to handle solar panels separate from the organizations allowed to recycle or treat them. Handlers are authorized only to transport solar panels. The list of DTSC-approved handlers includes organizations for distribution, warehouses, and reuse outlets. To recycle solar panels, handlers must apply for additional certification and follow specific regulations from DTSC for treatment. For a list of California universal waste recyclers that treat solar panels, please visit DTSC’s List of Recyclers that Treat [Solar Panel] Modules webpage.
CPSC'S SOLAR REUSE RESOURCE MAP
In 2024, CPSC created the solar reuse resource map by interviewing local solar reuse champions in California and beyond. Reuse champions include reuse, repair, resellers, thrift stores, and installers. CPSC is constantly updating this map as new organizations, interested in helping create a circular economy are found. This chart is the culmination of many months of hard work, and dedication to EPR and sustainability.
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Click the survey button below if you would like to be added to the solar reuse map and/or participate in any active and upcoming projects. For more information, email: info@calpsc.org.
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Click on the expand icon, then click on the search icon, type in your address, and press enter. You can also search by business name or type. For instance, enter "reuse" and all related businesses come up.
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We provide this map as a public service. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on this site or utilize this site for other than its intended purposes are prohibited. We make no claim or guarantee about the accuracy or currency of the maps, and expressly disclaim liability for errors and omissions. Please CALL each business before visiting.
To report inaccurate map information, please contact info@calpsc.org.
CPSC LED SOLAR PANEL PILOT PROJECTS
CPSC has led multiple solar panel reuse and recycling pilot projects across California. Through these efforts, 1,646 panels have been collected to date, helping to divert functional solar panels from landfill and advance circular solutions statewide.
Below is a collection of short videos detailing CPSC’s recent solar panel pilot projects. Watch to learn more about CPSC's role in solar panel regulations, the active pilot projects in Butte County and the City of Santa Monica, CPSC's partnership with CalRecycle, and how you can help push solar panel recovery systems in California.
Learn more here: Solar Panel Recovery Pilot Handout
CURRENT SOLAR PANEL PROJECTS IN CALIFORNIA
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Santa Barbara Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division, partnering with CPSC, are piloting a solar panel reuse and recycling program within Santa Barbara County. ​​​
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On November 14th, 2025, we hosted a Solar Reuse Training Event from 11 am - 1:30 pm. Attendees received a certificate of completion co-signed by Hancock College and the California Product Stewardship Council. More details coming soon.
Solano County, the Solano Resource Conservation District, the Dixon Resource Conservation District, and the Solano County Farm Bureau are working with CPSC to survey the regional agricultural community on utilizing recycled solar panels and/or disposing of any, obtaining technical support to repurpose Ag byproducts, and minimizing irrigation loss with smart timers. ​
Zero Waste Marin and CPSC are establishing a baseline for solar panel collection and processing in Marin County that prioritizes reuse and prevents the improper disposal of panels.
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The pilot is collecting solar panels for FREE in Marin County. Fill out the form here to request panel pick-up. If you would like to obtain FREE panels for reuse purposes, fill out the form here.
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StopWaste, in Alameda County, was one of the first local governments to pilot solar panel reuse, starting with research and case studies to gauge the emerging field of solar panel reuse and recycling in the County. This most recent phase of their solar panel reuse and recycling pilot will include collection of unwanted solar panels with support for reuse, repair, and recycling processes.
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The pilot is collecting solar panels for FREE in Alameda County during a one-day event at the Fremont Recycling & Transfer Station on December 9th, 2025 from 7 AM - 1 PM. Fill out the solar panel drop-off request form here!
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Learn more about StopWaste here: StopWaste.org/about-stopwaste
Mojave Desert & Mountain Recycling Authority, partnering with CPSC are launching a solar panel reuse and recycling pilot to address the growing volume of unwanted solar panels being landfilled.
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The pilot will work with local recycling infrastructure, expand reuse capacity, and increase public education.
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Learn more about Mojave here: Mojave Desert & Mountain Recycling Authority
OTHER SOLAR PANEL PROJECTS IN CALIFORNIA
The Department of Energy selected CPSC for the Re-X Before Recycling Prize which recognizes innovation in extending a product's life through reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, or repurposing before recycling. The project established the first Solar Panel Repair Training and the reuse map on this website. As a result, GHG modeling and analyses were added to the local government pilots.
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Learn more about Re-X Before Recycling here: Re-X Before Recycling Prize | HeroX
Zero Waste Sonoma's Solar Panel Pilot Project, in partnership with CalRecycle and the Conservation Corps North Bay, resulted in several free solar panel collection events held within Sonoma County for residents.
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Learn more about the project here: ZeroWasteSonoma.gov/materials/solar-panels
THE FUTURE OF SOLAR PANEL RECYCLING
CPSC is thrilled to be on the cutting-edge of solar panel reuse and recycling, working on legislation as the conversation shifts across the country. Many states, including California, have changed the classification of solar panels from hazardous waste to universal waste. The classification change makes solar panel disposal and recycling easier and less expensive. For a list of states that classify solar panels as universal waste, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s State Universal Waste Programs webpage.
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One example of solar panel reuse is to connect a used solar panel to a portable power station to create your own new reused solar backup system. For a step-by-step guide, please read the full case study funded by CPSC, Zero Waste Marin, Reuse Alliance, and the Department of Energy Re-X Prize.
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While California is working to ensure solar panels are recycled properly through waste reclassification, other states have passed additional legislation. In 2017, Washington passed Senate Bill 5939, which promoted sustainable, local renewable energy by modifying tax incentives. The bill created a Photovoltaic Module Stewardship and Takeback Program, which required manufacturers of solar panels to provide a convenient and environmentally conscious way to recycle panels purchased after July 1st, 2017.
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One of the best ways to work towards a more sustainable future is to strive for extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation. EPR holds producers accountable for their products’ environmental impact from creation to disposal. It promotes the development of greener products with lower environmental impacts and helps allocate funds to finance proper collection, treatment, recycling, and disposal systems for problematic products. Our legislation webpage lists some of the ways we strive to make this goal a reality.
SOLAR PANEL PRESS AND MEDIA
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Solar Panel Reuse: Microgrid Case Study - CPSC, 5/2/2025
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PV Recycling with Livia Keene and Joanne Brasch of California Product Stewardship Council - Apple Podcast, 1/5/2025
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​Report on CPSC's Inaugural Solar Reuse Training in Marin - CPSC, 10/23/24
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We Recycle Solar Leads Efforts to Repurpose Discarded Solar Panels - AZCentral, 9/24/24
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Renewal Projects Receive $50,000 in DOE Competition - Resource Recycling, 6/25/24
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French agency warns against unchecked reuse of secondhand solar modules – PV Magazine France, 6/6/24
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Beyond recycling: reducing waste from solar modules before they're even made - Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 3/5/24
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Solar Panel Recycling gets off the ground in Sonoma County - Northern California Public Media, 7/13/23
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Challenge to stop solar panels become a 'waste mountain' - BBC News, 6/4/23
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New push to create solar panel recycling program in California - CBS News Bay Area, 3/8/23
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California went big on rooftop solar. It created an environmental danger in the process - LA Times, 7/14/22
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Solar Panel Recycling: Discovering a Circular Economy in Solar Panels - CPSC, 7/11/22
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Solar Panel Recycling Pilot Wraps Up in City of Santa Monica, CA - Waste Advantage Magazine, 4/22/22
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Piloting Solar Panel Recycling and Reusable Marine Flares in California - HHWIE Conference, 1/19/22
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Solar Panel Recycling Research from the Counties of Butte and San Mateo and the City of Santa Monica - IEEE Photovoltaics Specialists Conference, 6/18/20
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California Pushes for Solar Panel Waste Policy- Waste360, 3/31/20
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Panels Be Gone- Chico News and Review, 6/13/19
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Protecting Butte County Together- Chico News and Review, 5/23/19