Korea Moves Ahead With Long-awaited Solar Panel Recycling Scheme

The new regulations in Korea establish a standardised collection system for all major regions of the country to ensure that the recycling/re-use rate of waste panels exceeds 80%.

At a recent ministerial meeting convened by Prime Minister Han Deok-soo, the Korean Ministry of Industry, Trade and Industry (MOTIE) approved a long-awaited recycling scheme for solar panels.

The new regulations establish a standardised collection system for all major regions of the country and aim to ensure that the recycling/re-use rate of waste panels reaches over 80% within three years, in line with the current level in the EU. At the same time, the scheme lays the foundation for the creation of a sectoral statistical system.

The scheme aims to encourage the full reuse of solar modules before they are finally recycled. It will also introduce certification under the framework of the Eco Assurance System (ECOAS), which restricts the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

The Korean government expects PV waste to reach 1,222 tonnes by 2025, 2,645 tonnes in 2027, 6,796 tonnes in 2029 and 9,632 tonnes in 2032. The country's installed solar capacity reached around 22 GW by the end of December 2021. additional PV capacity in 2021 was around 4.4 GW.

South Korea plans to install 30.8 GW of solar power facilities by 2030.