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Panel backs delay and advisory process for photovoltaic recycling rule to avoid market disruption
Summary
Senate Bill 5175 would delay enforcement of the state’s photovoltaic module stewardship rules, establish an advisory committee and require Ecology to contract a consultant and produce implementation recommendations to the Legislature in 2028.
The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 5175, which would delay enforcement deadlines in the state photovoltaic (PV) module stewardship law, create a stakeholder advisory committee and direct the Department of Ecology to contract a consultant and report back with recommendations in 2028.
Why it matters: Current law requires manufacturers of PV modules to submit stewardship plans and prohibits sales of modules in Washington unless the manufacturer has an approved plan. Department of Ecology and industry witnesses said most manufacturers have not submitted approved plans; without an extension the state risked a sudden loss of panel supply and higher costs that could disrupt projects, including federally funded programs.
Department of Ecology solid waste program manager Peter Lyon told the committee the existing timetable—plans due to Ecology and a sales prohibition effective July 1, 2025—would likely force many manufacturers to stop selling into Washington because market shares are small for some suppliers. Lyon said only one manufacturer was expected to have an approved plan under the current schedule and that immediate enforcement would disrupt installers and supply chains. The bill delays those deadlines and directs Ecology to form an advisory committee to resolve implementation issues and support a durable stewardship program.
Nora Hawkins of the Department of Commerce said the extension would protect critical solar projects and federal grants, citing Commerce’s $156 million federal "Solar for All" grant and state modeling estimating that Washington will need substantially more distributed and utility‑scale solar to meet future electricity needs. Bill Will of the Washington Solar Energy Industries Association said a prior stakeholder process that began in 2020 was interrupted by the pandemic and that Ecology and industry need more time to finalize a workable stewardship plan.
Industry witnesses described informal recycling practices among installers and said most installers are already trying to avoid landfilling decommissioned panels. Ecology and industry representatives identified data shortfalls as a barrier: Ecology does not have a definitive market‑share list or a reliable count of panels sold in the state because installers and permitting authorities do not report brand‑level sales consistently.
What the committee did: Committee staff and agency witnesses described the extension and advisory committee structure in the engrossed second substitute language; no formal vote was taken. Witnesses asked for a stakeholder process to fill data gaps and to craft a stewardship program that does not interrupt deployment of panels needed for state and federal programs.
Ending: The hearing closed with agreement to pursue the advisory committee and further stakeholder work; the committee did not take final action on SB 5175 during the March 20 hearing.
