Georgia legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Georgia HB320: Waste management; require recycling of solar panels
Status: Failed, March 31, 2026
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to solid waste management, so as to require the recycling of solar panels; to prohibit the discarding or disposing of solar panels by any manner other than by delivery to a collection or recovered materials processing facility or other recycling center that accepts solar panels for recycling; to provide for definitions; to provide for penalties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
What the bill says
To amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to solid waste management, so as to require the recycling of solar panels; to prohibit the discarding or disposing of solar panels by any manner other than by delivery to a collection or recovered materials processing facility or other recycling center that accepts solar panels for recycling; to provide for definitions; to provide for penalties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED To amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to solid waste management, so as to require the recycling of solar panels; to prohibit the discarding or disposing of solar panels by any manner other than by delivery to a collection or recovered materials processing facility or other recycling center that accepts solar panels for recycling; to provide for definitions; to provide for penalties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to solid waste management, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows: "12-8-28.1. (a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) 'Solar panel' means any device that contains a bank of solar cells or other solar energy collection system that when exposed to solar radiation can generate electricity. H. B. LC 55 0451 (2) 'Solar power facility' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 46-3-67. (b) No owner or operator of a solar power facility shall discard or …