Residuos de paineis solares fotovoltaicos: uma revisao dos impactos ambientais e toxicologicos/Wastes from photovoltaic solar panels: a review of environmental and toxicological impacts

Given the trend of exponential growth of solar photovoltaic power generation in recent years, it is imperative to know and publicize the future environmental impacts of this technology. And the generation of the panel waste, despite having an estimated useful life of 25 years, shows us a bleak future, since its destination and treatment needs to be managed in such a way as to minimize its effects both on the environment and on the health of the professionals who deal with them. This work shows the environmental impacts in the destination of the panels according to the constructive generation, and their framing according to some international and national standards (NBR 100\04/2004). Both the first (crystalline silicon) and second generation panels (CIGS, amorphous silicon and CdTe) were, by different authors and standards, all identified as hazardous waste. The main impacts cited relate to the effects of the leaching of these heavy metals on the environment, groundwater contamination and damage to human health. Practiced efforts for a desired environmental destination are being insipient, since the generation larger in the medium term. Until then, it is expected that technologies have been developed and the cost benefit will be favorable to the dismantling of the panel, in order to destine only the metallic components as hazardous waste for treatment and to reuse the glass and aluminum by reinserting them into the productive chain of these two products.