Using integrated risk assessment to enable on-site re-purposing of construction wastes from renewable energy projects to confirm highest value re-use.

Abstract

The rapid growth in solar PV construction means a concurrent growth in used solar panels and end of life packaging materials. The current study assesses the risks in an integrated manner, from applying shredded end of life packaging materials (EOLPM) to soil at a utility-scale solar energy (USSE) plant. Its aim and purpose is to determine if the EOLPM would pose a potential risk to human health and/or the environment if placed as a soil amendment incorporated into the surface soil (as a surface-incorporated mulch). An integrated risk assessment, drawing upon existing chemical and phytotoxicity data and introducing carbon emissions impacts (including social cost of carbon emissions) from treatment options, was undertaken confirming effective controls and risk treatments from on-site application as a soil amendment (soil improver). Landfilling (30 t CO2e per MW) was estimated to cost $AUD6.8k per MW, compared to the most appropriate and selected on-site option of mulching (0.5 t CO2 per MW and $UAD7.1k per MW). There is broad application of this approach to other remote USSE construction projects where solar PV construction growth is occurring exponentially globally.