Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
Problem with your solar panels? Contact your installer or service provider for repair options. If the panels need to be replaced but still operate, donate for reuse or contact a reseller (ex. Habitat for Humanity). In California, DTSC lists Universal Waste Recyclers that treat Solar Panels (PV Modules). Note that some recyclers only accept from large private companies or government contracts - not from consumers. Solar Panel Handlers consolidate and then send them to recyclers. Many panels don't make it to recyclers due to the cost to recycle per panel; panels are most often transported to other states for recycling.
The California Product Stewardship Council's Solar Panel Stewardship hosts the most current links to policy, studies, and articles on solar panels. Considering solar? PG&E's Residential Guide to Solar Installation. Solar Permitting Guidebook (4th Edition). The California Energy Commission maintains a list of PV modules available by manufacturer and model number, and includes the hazardous content. Updates from E-Scrap and E-Reuse Conference.
Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
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Safety Kleen (San Jose) | 1147 N 10th Street | San Jose | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
iFixit | 1330 Monterey St | San Luis Obisbo | Repair | Free Mail-in | DIY repair instructions | |
San Francisco Recycling | South San Francisco | Recycle | Pick-up for a Fee | Panels are refurbished, and non-working and replaced parts are recycled when possible. $60/panel Broken panels, thin films and frames. Min trip fee $45-65 per trip applied depending on quantity & location. | ||
First Solar |
350 West Washington St Suite 600 |
Tempe | Recycle | Pick-up for a Fee | large quantities | |
Bay Area Electronics Recycling Center (Union City) | 33548 Central Ave | Union City | Recycle | Drop-off for a Fee, Pick-up for a Fee | Flat recycling, refurbishment & processing fee. $25/panel (up to 65lbs). No thin film units. $125/hr pick up fee or drop-off to UC Warehouse | |
Recycle1234: E-Waste & Solar Panel Recycling Center | 30311 Whipple Rd | Union City | Repair | Drop-off for a Fee | Drop off fee of $35 per working or non-working PV module for refurbishing or recycling. | |
SRS (Solarsilicon Reycling Services) | 2433 Eastman Ave | Ventura | Recycle | Drop-off for a Fee | Large/commercial quantity. ignot & ignot production equipment | |
Clean Management Environmental Group | 915 Industrial Rd | Walterboro | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Assn.) |
600 14th Street, NW Suite 400 |
Washington DC | Recycle | Free Mail-in | Online info. The National PV Recycling Program, founded in 2016, is a network of recycling and refurbishment providers that can provide end-of-life management services to solar and storage installers, project and system owners, developers, distributors and other parties. These organizations are capable of providing repair, refurbish, resale, and recycling services for PV modules, inverters and other solar equipment. |
Bulky Pickup | Note | ||
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Alameda |
Contact ACI at (510) 483-1400 for a bulky pick-up. ### |
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Albany |
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Berkeley | |||
Castro Valley Sanitary District |
Separate and label good/working condition items for donation as part of your Bulky & Reuse Pick-up set out. ### |
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Dublin |
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Emeryville |
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Fremont | |||
Hayward |
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Hayward (Oro Loma - L2) |
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Livermore |
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Newark |
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Oakland |
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Piedmont |
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Pleasanton |
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San Leandro |
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San Leandro (Oro Loma - L3) |
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San Lorenzo (Oro Loma) |
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Unincorporated Oro Loma (L1) |
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Union City |
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