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Alberta government touts Oct. 1 launch of $14 solar panel recycling fee, landfill ban
The province says the program will fund collection and recycling as more than 95% of panels are expected to reach end of life by 2045.
- Starting Oct. 1, Alberta will require a $14 recycling fee on all new solar panels and implement a landfill ban, which Minister of Affordability and Utilities RJ Sigurdson says will fund North America's first specialized solar-panel recycling program.
- Environment Minister Grant Hunter said the measure protects municipalities from future costs, as most solar panels installed today will reach end-of-life by 2045, potentially creating nearly 73,000 tons of material.
- BRC-Canada director Jorden Dye criticized the fee as a "punitive tax" that is 139 per cent to 3,500 per cent higher than in other jurisdictions, creating a "disproportionate burden" on the sector.
- Solar Alberta executive director Heather MacKenzie warned the fee acts like a 10 per cent tax, potentially causing job losses, while Calgary-based installer Tyler Marriott noted it adds roughly $1 million to project costs.
- Despite government claims that the fee is "the right thing to do," Radha Rajagopalan, director of policy for Alberta, questioned the lack of an official cost breakdown and noted the charge ignores reuse pathways.
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Province bans solar panels from landfills, adds $14/panel upfront cost
The province has announced that as of Oct. 1 all solar panels will be banned from landfill sites and must be reused or recycled. As an alternative, Alberta will become the first province in Canada to operate a solar panel recycling program. Solar panels, the province says, contain valuable glass, aluminum, silicon, silver, copper and
Coverage Details
Total News Sources28
Leaning Left8Leaning Right3Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution45% Center
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources are Center
45% Center
L 40%
C 45%
15%
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