Overview
- The cabinet, which approved the bill Thursday, set a rule that operators of large solar plants must file plans to cut waste and recover materials before disposing of big batches of panels.
- Plans must spell out how many panels will be discarded, when they will be removed, and how they will be handled, and the government can issue orders and penalties if firms choose landfill without a sound reason.
- Officials will tighten requirements in stages based on disposal costs and the build‑out of processing facilities, with a goal of making recycling the default by the late 2030s.
- If the Diet passes the bill this session, enforcement is expected to begin between late 2027 and early 2028.
- The bill also backs recyclers by allowing certified firms to collect across prefectures and store more panels, and it notes future study of extending rules to homes and small businesses as waste could reach up to 500,000 tons around 2040.