Solar Power's Toxic Footprint

[wtmusic]

"According to figures released by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control DTSC, solar manufacturers in the state produced over 46 million pounds of hazardous waste between 2007 and 2011. 1.4 million pounds of that waste, which included polluted water and heavy metals such as cadmium, was shipped out of state -- meaning that calculations of solar's climate benefit must account for fuel used to ship that hazardous waste.

San Jose State Environmental Studies professor Dustin Mulvaney told the Associated Press' Jason Dearen that the fuel used to transport hazardous waste for the manufacture of a typical solar panel is equivalent to the carbon emissions avoided by about two or three months' panel production.

Some of the hazardous waste production stems from younger companies failure to implement recycling programs, reports Dearen. The solar technology used also makes a difference: waste cadmium is produced during the manufacture of cadmium telluride thin-film solar panels, and not so much with other types of photovoltaic cells."

http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/photovoltaic-pv/solar-powers-toxic-footprint.html

[bloomington-lib]

1. kr

[kristopher]

2. 1) Recycling the waste into more panels saves the company money

2) "Not so much from other types of solar cells"

AntiRenewable propaganda courtesy of the nuclear industry.

[NickB79]

3. Who knew

That the California Department of Toxic Substances Control DTSC was a branch of the nuclear industry

Thank God those 46 million pounds of hazardous waste don't really exist then after all.......

[kristopher]

4. CA DTSC wrote the article and posted it on DU?

Did you hear that Iraq has WMD. It's true, a certain exPresident said so.

[FBaggins]

5. Ah! So what you're saying is...

... a fact can be true and come from a reliable source...

... but then cease too be true and instead become propaganda if it's posted on DU by someone you disagree with.

An incredibly... hmm... "convenient" position.

"kristopher - taking confirmation bias to new levels every day" should be your new slogan. I love the one from yesterday where you confidently proclaim that 90% of the people agree with you. I get the feeling that you actually believe that.