Q: Have there been any recent improvements in the recyclability of solar panels? Do the benefits of solar energy outweigh the downside of solar panel waste?

—Barbara Schmidt-Bailey in Downers Grove, Illinois

A: The advantages of solar panels appear to greatly outweigh their recycling problems. They make up just a tiny fraction of the staggering 46 million tons of global electronic waste but are expected to reach 10 percent of the total by 2050. Elements of solar panel waste such as precious metals should be worth billions, providing economic motives for recycling.

The panels are mostly composed of recyclable glass and aluminum, but they do contain some highly toxic materials, such as cadmium and lead. They are subject to the same laws as other waste, so any outfit caught dumping panels containing hazardous waste could be prosecuted. One major economic incentive for recycling solar panels: They include valuable precious metals that could be worth billions.

A big improvement came in September, when the Solar Energy Industries Association unveiled plans for a national network of collection points and recycling facilities for defunct panels. For more about this issue, see sc.org/svtc.