Wind blades and solar panels head for landfills after being replaced

More than 90% of used solar panels get thrown in the trash, and the world's wind industry is estimated to produce 43 million tons of blade waste each year. But some companies have found recycling solutions. Ben Tracy reports.

#news #windblades #solar

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[BobanVagene]

“There was no plan to handle the waste.” The biggest understatement ever.

[oddy]

So, if windblades are indestructible, then why do they have to be replaced?

[jcffarrier]

What’s crazy is they say this is a young industry yet everything is worn out!

[guitarlessonswith]

"An unexpected side effect." Here's your sign! Love seeing all your fossil fuel powered heavy equipment making all your efforts possible.

[davidlaidig]

Plant the blades vertically on the border.

[elmiguel]

Anyone who worked in the solar business knew they weren’t recycling these in the right way

[jreese]

So, just to recap: renewable "clean" energy has costs that aren't spoken of: costs to manufacture (using fossil fuels); costs to dismantle and recycle (using fossil fuels); costs to transport both ways (using fossil fuels); final leftovers from burning (gasses and solids). Wouldn't it be instructive to see a chart of the total costs in money, fuel, pollution, and so forth? Seeing the whole story, here.

[godwantsplastic]

Once we run out of resources we’ll start mining landfills. 😂

[jaewokG]

_If only someone could've seen this coming?!_ 🙄

[TheRealDogfart]

Manufactures like these need to be 100% responsible for 100% reclamation and recycling. Yes, it costs however the manufacture needs to include 'end of life processing' into the overall design. If manufactures are made to be responsible they will engineer better recycling capabilities and processes into the overall design.

[Jerry-kopi]

If the blades were put vertical and made into a fence or something like a retaining wall, would last almost forever I guess? If they are so unbreakable, why are they being thrown out??

[chris-non-voter]

Sustainability at its best. We've been coned and taken for mugs.

[mikecarnivale]

Curious how much power is used on running that equipment needed to cut them up? Also, I found it funny that all the tractors moving all that around runs on diesel...

[patrickradcliffe]

Hope this makes abundantly clear there is no green or renewable energy. Just for clarification these companies that are trying recycle are very small compared to the amount of green energy waste. One cannot even count on one hand the number of companies doing this work.

[posteroonie]

1:49 The executive being interviewed means that the 3-4 year old panels have 90% of their rated capacity (more than that, certainly), not that they are 90% efficient.

[BritishAnts]

Try buying second hand panels for less than £60 in the uk, they still have a massive market second hand here so no need to landfill any of that at all! Usually it’s the councils putting restrictions on selling second hand!

[andyaerials]

amazing how little we understand about landfill in each individual area.. how under reported and crucial it is to the waste system..

[confusedwhynot]

Honestly there are risks to the type of power you choose. All the way from the production process to waste disposal. We all need to be more informed and take this all more seriously.

[hospitalar]

FINALLY some honest reporting on the downsides of "clean" energy.

[paulastegmaier]

I'm glad they are now talking about this. It's been an issue for several years. Now we need to look at the problems of all renewables.