China to Improve Pollution Prevention Standards for Retired Photovoltaic Modules, Wind Turbine Blades, and Power Batteries

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 22, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced at its September routine press conference that China is continuously improving the environmental regulatory system for solid waste from the "new three" categories—retired photovoltaic modules, wind turbine blades, and power batteries. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment will work with relevant departments to promote the recycling and pollution prevention of related solid waste, and will include illegal dismantling and disposal of retired new energy equipment and retired power batteries as a key focus of regulatory enforcement.

The Ecological Environment Code has already set institutional requirements for the disposal of retired new energy equipment, under which retired wind turbine blades and photovoltaic modules must undergo recycling or harmless disposal; retired power batteries are subject to an extended producer responsibility system, requiring relevant producers to establish a waste product recycling system that matches product sales volume and to fulfill their recycling and utilization responsibilities. Relevant Chinese departments have already issued policies to establish a full life-cycle management system covering production, use, retirement, recycling, and utilization.

Zhong Bin, Director of the Solid Waste and Chemicals Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, stated that regulatory authorities will strengthen enforcement against illegal processing, listing illegal dismantling of retired new energy equipment and power batteries as a key regulatory target, and promoting the entry of retired equipment into formal utilization and disposal channels.

Pollution prevention standards are also being advanced in parallel. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment is leading the formulation of relevant technical standards, focusing on treatment processes including black mass roasting and metal recovery for retired power batteries, separation of laminated components for waste photovoltaic equipment, and harmless disposal of waste wind turbine blades, and setting corresponding requirements for waste gas, wastewater, solid residues, and environmental management during treatment processes.

China's new energy equipment is entering a phase of large-scale retirement, and the recycling and utilization systems for power batteries, photovoltaic modules, and wind power equipment continue to expand. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment's 2026 work plan has included comprehensive solid waste management as a key annual task and proposed strengthening whole-process environmental regulation of solid waste.