Washington state legislators update solar recycling program

The Washington State House and Senate passed legislation that updates the state’s solar recycling policy.

This bill will inform the final design and adoption of the state’s solar recycling program. The program will be data-driven and will consider the lifespan of modules that can last up to 50 years in the field.

Officials at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) applauded the bill’s passage.

“This week HB 2645 passed with strong bipartisan support in the Washington state House and Senate, and no stakeholder opposition. HB 2645 will require the state to create a task force that will thoroughly study solar end-of-life issues and use this information to suggest revisions to the state’s existing program to ensure its long-term success. This task force will feature a comprehensive set of stakeholders, including industry representatives, to make sure the recommendations remain relevant and reasonable for solar businesses and customers in Washington,” Sean Gallagher, vice president of state affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), said.

The Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. The solar industry employs about 242,000 Americans.

“We thank the leaders in the Washington House and Senate and look forward to seeing Governor Inslee sign this bill into law,” Gallagher said.