BCSDA to lodge submission to House of Representatives inquiry into solar panel reuse and recycling

Sydney, 18 March 2026 - The Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia (BCSDA) intends to lodge a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water, calling for a more coordinated national approach that includes stronger product stewardship, clearer pathways for collection and reuse, and policy settings that support viable domestic recycling.

The inquiry examines a broad set of questions, including current and projected waste volumes, existing disposal practices, the comparative economics of reuse, recycling and landfill, barriers to scaling domestic recycling capability, and the policy options available to government. BCSDA's submission will engage with these questions from a business and sustainable development perspective, drawing on member experience across the clean energy transition, resource recovery and product stewardship.

As Australia's installed solar base matures, the volume of panels reaching end of life will increase substantially in the years ahead. There is growing attention on the need for better reuse, recycling and product stewardship arrangements, given the value of recoverable materials, the risks of landfill disposal, and the opportunity to strengthen Australia's domestic circular economy capability.

The submission will broadly support a more coordinated national approach, stronger accountability across the product life cycle, and policy settings that improve the economics of collection, reuse and high-quality recycling.

“Solar panels have been central to Australia’s clean energy transition. As more panels reach end of life, Australia needs a coordinated national approach that strengthens product stewardship, improves collection and reuse pathways, and supports high-quality domestic recycling,” said BCSDA CEO Andrew Petersen. "Our submission will make the case for policy settings that treat this as a resource opportunity and an industrial development question, not simply a disposal problem."

ENDS

About BCSDA

The Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia (BCSDA) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to operationalising sustainable development practices among Australian businesses. BCSDA was established in Australia in 1991 and works with over 70 leading global businesses and other organisations to drive systemic transformation in key sectors, advocating for sustainable leadership and rewarding action through education, partnerships, and policy influence.

In 2014 the organisation was appointed Australia’s Network Partner for World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

BCSDA’s members believe that by integrating social and environmental impacts with financial results, business lowers its risk profile, makes better decisions and creates the solutions needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

BCSDA’s members include leading Australian businesses, from all sectors, who share a commitment to economic, environmental and social development. It represents member companies, public sector enterprises and institutions, and community organisations, which in turn represent 120,000+ Australian employees. www.bcsda.org.au 

For further information contact: Andrew Petersen, CEO, Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia, +61 412 545 994