Brazil proposes mandatory take-back scheme for solar panels, batteries

A bill currently being processed in Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies aims to make reverse logistics mandatory for photovoltaic panels, batteries and energy storage systems.

The proposal seeks to anticipate one of the main environmental challenges associated with the expansion of solar power generation and energy storage: the proper disposal of equipment at the end of its useful life.

Bill 753/2026 establishes that manufacturers, importers and retailers must collect and send discarded consumer equipment for recycling or environmentally appropriate disposal. The text also incorporates these products into the reverse logistics system foreseen in the country’s National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS).

According to the proposal, collection systems should be structured by the sector itself, without using the public urban cleaning service. Installation companies will also assume additional responsibilities, including guiding consumers on how to return equipment and receiving modules, batteries and components replaced during maintenance services to forward to licensed recycling units.

The proposal also features ecodesign criteria, stipulating that equipment should be developed to facilitate disassembly and reuse of materials, as well as reduce the use of potentially hazardous substances.

In the proposal’s justification, its author, Representative Clodoaldo Magalhães, states that the accelerated growth of solar energy requires the creation of such mechanisms to avoid environmental problems in the coming decades.

According to Magalhães, studies indicate that Brazil could generate around 550,000 tons of photovoltaic panel waste over the next few years, making it necessary to create a structured chain for the collection and reuse of these materials.

The bill will be reviewed by the committees on Environment and Sustainable Development, Urban Development, and Constitution, Justice and Citizenship. If approved by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, it will proceed to presidential sanction before coming into effect.