Abstract for: Photovoltaic waste collection: A neglected bottleneck on the way to scaling up recycling

Photovoltaic (PV) waste is emerging as a critical challenge within the EU’s WEEE framework, which was mainly designed for short‑lived electrical equipment. Long PV lifetimes, uncertain waste volumes, and heterogeneous extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes create misaligned incentives, complicating cost recovery, collection performance, and long-term financial planning. As PV installations accelerate, inadequate collection threatens both environmental outcomes and the viability of high‑value recycling. This study analyzes how different EPR system designs influence PV waste collection effectiveness. Drawing on existing typologies, contrasting national systems will be selected as empirical cases. Expert interviews, surveys, and potential group model‑building workshops will inform a System Dynamics model capturing material flows, financial mechanisms, and decision rules. The model will examine policy design choices that affect stability, orphan product risk, and support for high-value recycling pathways. Preliminary work highlights that insufficient collection, not recycling technology, is the primary bottleneck to scaling PV recycling. Diverse PRO fee structures, fragmented institutional arrangements, and low transparency increase systemic fragility. A modeling approach that integrates stakeholder insights can reveal incentive misalignments and identify leverage points for improving long‑term stewardship. Strengthening EPR design is essential to secure reliable waste streams and enable economically viable circular‑economy outcomes for PV. AI has been used for text refinments and to summarise content.