Catalog of Solid Waste Classification and Codes

Release date: January 19, 2024

Issuing authority: Ministry of Ecology and Environment

Waste code: 900-015-S17

Solid waste name: Scrapped photovoltaic modules. Waste photovoltaic modules generated during photovoltaic module production, technological upgrading, decommissioning, and other processes.

Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China

Release date: March 12, 2026

Effective date: August 15, 2026

Issuing authority: Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

Article 490 Where an entity generating industrial solid waste entrusts another party to transport, utilize, or dispose of industrial solid waste, it shall verify the entrusted party's qualifications and technical capabilities, sign a written contract in accordance with the law, and stipulate pollution prevention and control requirements in the contract.

Article 523 The dismantling and disposal of decommissioned photovoltaic modules shall strengthen pollution prevention and control, and refined and harmless dismantling and disposal shall be carried out in accordance with regulations.

Article 979 The state establishes and improves a responsibility system for the treatment of decommissioned wind power and photovoltaic power generation equipment.

Enterprises engaged in the construction and operation of photovoltaic power generation projects shall, by themselves or by entrusting qualified enterprises, carry out recycling utilization or harmless disposal of decommissioned photovoltaic modules.

Article 989 The state promotes the development of the remanufacturing industry for high-end equipment in the photovoltaic power generation sector, and encourages the promotion and use of remanufactured products.

The quality of remanufactured products and refurbished products shall comply with the standards prescribed by the state, and they shall be prominently labeled as remanufactured products or refurbished products.

Article 1171 Where any of the following circumstances occurs in violation of this Code, the competent ecological environment department shall order corrections, confiscate illegal gains, and impose a fine; where the circumstances are serious, upon approval by the people's government with approval authority, it shall order suspension of operations or closure:

(1) building facilities or sites for the centralized storage, utilization, or disposal of industrial solid waste, construction waste, hazardous waste, and domestic waste landfills within ecological protection red line areas, concentrated permanent basic farmland areas, and other areas requiring special protection;

(2) transferring solid waste across provincial, autonomous regional, or centrally administered municipal administrative areas for storage or disposal without approval;

(3) transferring solid waste across provincial, autonomous regional, or centrally administered municipal administrative areas for utilization without submitting information in advance;

(4) an entity generating industrial solid waste entrusts another party to transport, utilize, or dispose of industrial solid waste in violation of this Code;

(5) storing industrial solid waste without adopting protective measures that comply with national ecological and environmental protection standards;

(6) entities and other producers or business operators violate other requirements for the management of solid waste, causing environmental pollution or ecological damage.

For the circumstance specified in item (3) of the preceding paragraph, a fine of not less than 50,000 yuan and not more than 500,000 yuan shall be imposed; for any circumstance other than item (3) of the preceding paragraph, a fine of not less than 100,000 yuan and not more than 1,000,000 yuan shall be imposed. Where laws and administrative regulations provide otherwise for the penalty under item (6) of the preceding paragraph, such provisions shall apply.

In violation of this Code, where an entity generating industrial solid waste fails to establish an industrial solid waste management ledger and record truthfully, the competent ecological environment department shall order corrections; if it refuses to make corrections, a fine of not less than 50,000 yuan and not more than 200,000 yuan shall be imposed.