CERES decides to stop PV recycling programme
CERES "“ the Paris-based take-back and recycling scheme for discarded photovoltaic (PV) modules in Europe "“ have announced they have abandoned all operational activities in the PV waste management field with effect on September 6th, 2013.
The nonprofit association stated that the increasingly stiffer environment for photovoltaic energy production in Europe and a more and more complex market for the treatment of PV waste management have been the decisive factors to discontinue their operational take-back and recycling division.
However, CERES will continue to exist as an industry-wide research organization in the field of PV waste treatment and cradle-to-cradle design. CERES will therefore pursue and expand its commitment to on-going R & D projects. CERES' new President Serge Besanger, appointed in March this year, referred to the fact that "CERES started out as a research platform for PV module recycling. This is where we are strong and where we can play a pivotal role in the industry."
To ensure a smooth cease of CERES' operational business, PV CYCLE "“ the pan-European take-back and recycling scheme "“ has committed to take on all take-back and recycling obligations for currently valid CERES members. The disposal and treatment of their modules will be free-of-charge for module owners until December 2013. The agreement between the two schemes covers all post-production PV module waste in the EU and EFTA countries, excluding Italy where CERES has signed a separate agreement with ERP Italy in February 2013.
CERES was founded in 2011 with the goal of taking back and recycling used PV modules and PV production scrap. The CERES network consists of some 30 collection points and own recycling facilities in Europe and overseas.
