The best way to dispose of solar panels is to reuse working panels, send damaged or end-of-life panels to a specialist recycler, and use landfill disposal only when recycling is unavailable and local rules allow it. Do not put solar panels in a curbside recycling bin or remove roof-mounted panels yourself.

This guide covers U.S. disposal requirements as of September 2026. A 2022 Department of Energy plan estimated recycling at about $15 to $45 per panel, compared with landfill fees of about $1 to $5 per panel, excluding transportation. Actual costs depend on location, panel condition, quantity and waste classification.

Solar Panel Disposal at a Glance

Solar panel condition Best disposal route Who to contact
Working and undamaged Reuse, sell, donate or refurbish Installer, manufacturer or reuse organization
Working but being replaced Test and resell or send for refurbishment Solar installer or PV equipment reseller
Cracked, shattered or fire-damaged Specialist solar recycler or regulated waste contractor Installer, state environmental agency or recycler
End-of-life and non-functional Solar panel recycling PV recycler, DOE recycling map or SEIA network
Solar panel with battery storage Recycle the panel and battery separately PV recycler and battery recycling program

1. Check Whether the Solar Panels Can Be Reused

A panel that still produces electricity may have value even if it no longer suits the original rooftop system. Options include:

  • Selling it as used equipment
  • Donating it to a nonprofit, school or community project
  • Using it in an off-grid system
  • Sending it to a refurbisher
  • Using it in a small system, such as remote power or electric vehicle charging

Keep reusable panels separate from cracked or damaged panels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends separating panels that have a reasonable expectation of reuse from panels that cannot be reused because the two categories may have different regulatory and transportation requirements.

Reuse may require new electrical, building, fire or grid-interconnection approvals. Have a qualified solar or electrical professional inspect a used panel before connecting it to a new electrical system.

2. Arrange Safe Removal From the Roof

A qualified solar installer or electrical contractor should remove roof-mounted panels. Panels can remain an electrical hazard during daylight, and removal involves roof, wiring and structural risks.

If hail, wind, flooding or fire damaged the panels, keep people away from the area. Arrange a professional inspection before moving anything. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends making a damaged PV system physically and electrically safe before inspection, repair or removal.

Do not:

  • Break or crush panels to reduce their size
  • Cut solar cables or junction boxes
  • Put cracked panels in household garbage
  • Put panels in a curbside recycling container
  • Transport loose broken glass without instructions from the receiving facility

Broken glass does not belong in a standard recycling bin. It can injure workers and damage recycling equipment.

3. Identify the Panels and Other System Components

Before contacting a recycler, record:

  • Manufacturer and model number
  • Number of panels
  • Whether the panels are intact, cracked or fire-damaged
  • Panel technology, such as crystalline silicon or thin-film
  • Approximate dimensions and weight
  • Whether the panels have already been removed from the roof
  • Whether an inverter, mounting hardware or battery is also being discarded

Most solar panels contain crystalline silicon cells, aluminum framing, glass, copper wiring, polymer layers, a backsheet and a junction box. Thin-film panels can contain different semiconductor materials, including cadmium telluride, so facilities may handle them differently.

Use separate disposal routes for other system components:

  • Inverters: Ask an electronics or solar equipment recycler.
  • Aluminum racking: Ask a scrap metal recycler whether it accepts solar mounting hardware.
  • Solar batteries: Use a battery recycling program. Do not send lithium batteries with ordinary panel waste.
  • Cables and wiring: Ask the PV recycler or a copper and electronics recycler.

4. Find a Solar Panel Recycling Facility

Start with the company that installed the system. The installer may offer removal, refurbishment or recycling. The manufacturer may also operate a take-back program.

Other sources include:

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing Map, which includes solar supply-chain and recycling information.
  2. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's solar panel recycling resources.
  3. The Solar Energy Industries Association recycling network.
  4. Earth911 or your state environmental agency.

The EPA identifies the DOE map, Earth911 and SEIA as sources for finding solar panel recycling options. The EPA does not endorse individual recyclers, so check the facility before paying for collection or transport.

Ask the recycler:

  • Does it accept your panel brand and technology?
  • Does it accept broken or fire-damaged panels?
  • Does it recycle the whole panel or only the frame and glass?
  • What packaging is required?
  • Can it arrange collection?
  • What will recycling cost?
  • Will it provide a receipt or recycling certificate?

5. Check State and Local Disposal Rules

In the United States, a discarded solar panel is solid waste. It may also be hazardous waste if it contains leachable metals above regulatory limits. Panels can contain small amounts of lead, cadmium, silver and other metals. Waste classifications can differ by model and manufacturer.

As of September 2026, solar panels are not classified as federal universal waste under EPA rules. California and Hawaii have state-specific universal waste requirements for photovoltaic modules. Other states may impose additional rules. The EPA is developing a proposal to add solar panels to the federal universal waste program, but disposal decisions should follow the rules issued by the relevant state and local agencies.

For a household disposal project, contact:

  • Your state environmental protection agency
  • Your county or city solid waste department
  • A household hazardous waste program
  • The original installer or solar leasing company

Commercial solar farms, schools, businesses and other large generators may face additional hazardous waste, transportation, recordkeeping and manifest requirements.

Can Solar Panels Go in a Landfill?

Sometimes, but only if the receiving landfill accepts them and the panels meet applicable waste requirements. Recycling is the preferable route.

Do not assume that a municipal landfill will accept solar panels. Call before transporting them and ask whether the landfill requires:

  • Advance approval
  • Packaging or palletization
  • A waste determination
  • A hazardous waste profile
  • Delivery by an approved transporter

Recycling has historically cost more than landfill disposal in the United States, but the price is not the only issue. A recycler or landfill may reject panels based on their condition, technology, quantity or regulatory classification.

What Happens When Solar Panels Are Recycled?

A typical recycling process may include:

  1. Removing the aluminum frame and junction box
  2. Separating glass from silicon cells
  3. Recovering aluminum, copper, glass and selected metals
  4. Processing silicon cells and specialty materials through mechanical, thermal or chemical methods

Glass makes up approximately 75% of the weight of a typical crystalline-silicon solar panel. Aluminum frames and copper wiring are among the easier materials to recover. Separating other materials from the laminated cell structure is more difficult.

The Practical Disposal Route

For most homeowners:

  1. Contact the installer or solar leasing company.
  2. Have a qualified professional remove and electrically isolate the panels.
  3. Separate reusable panels from damaged panels.
  4. Contact your state or local waste authority.
  5. Get acceptance and packaging instructions from a specialist PV recycler.
  6. Recycle the panels and send inverters, racking and batteries through their own waste streams.
  7. Keep the recycler's receipt or disposal documentation.

If the panels still work, reuse them first. Otherwise, use a verified PV recycler rather than household trash, and confirm the facility's requirements before moving the panels.