Recycling PV Panels
Fotokiklosi is the only legal Collective scheme in Greece specializing in the alternative management of PV panels, performing a significant task for environmental protection and promoting the circular economy. Since 2020, we have been pioneering in the collection and recycling of PV panels, responding to modern environmental and legislative requirements.
Our Work in PV Panel Recycling
We have collected more than 400 tons of PV panels, equivalent to approximately 20,000 panels from all over Greece.
Previously, PV panel waste was sent for recycling to a specialized facility in Italy, utilizing certain materials from old panels. However, recycling units for PV panels have now been installed and will operate in Greece, making their management more efficient and sustainable at a national level.
The Recycling Process Achieves:
Ensuring proper management and recycling of their waste: Firstly, because disposal in landfills or uncontrolled areas harms the environment, and secondly, because recovering materials such as glass, silicon, or metals like silver, copper, and aluminum saves raw materials.
Legislation & Producer Responsibility
According to Greek and European legislation (Directive 2012/19/EU), the organizational and financial (funding) responsibility for fulfilling waste management obligations for WEEE (Waste of Electrical and Electronic equipment) is assigned to the producers of the product, not when the product becomes waste but when it is first placed on the Greek market.
Producers, whether legal or natural entity, as defined in Article 11 of Law 4819/2021, are responsible for financing recycling through the WEEE Scheme in which they must participate and pay the recycling fee.
For PV panels, since 2020, the producer must contract with a Collective scheme, register, and record their details and quantities of sold products in the National Producer Register (NPR) of EOAN and pay the corresponding recycling fee to the Collective scheme, as defined in law 23615/2014, 181504/2016, and Law 4819/2021. For PV panels placed on the market before 2020, which have not been covered by a previous producer fee, the responsibility for financing the collection and management of this waste lies with the final user, holder, or producer.
It is noteworthy that the total cost of managing PV panel waste is significantly higher than the initial recycling fee, making compliance with the prescribed procedures economically and environmentally more advantageous.
The Main Obligations Derived from the Role of PV Panel Producer Are:
- Participation in a Collective Scheme
- Registration in the National Producer Register and completion of the Producer Registration Number issuance process
- Indication of the Producer Registration Number on all your tax documents
- Incorporation of the recycling fee into the sold PV panels
- Display of the recycling fee on sales documents, except for sales documents addressed to the final consumer
- If you purchase PV panels from within the country, i.e., from another Greek supplier, this must be done from suppliers who comply with the above
