Solar waste to construction material with Circular Pave Solar

Unison Co., Ltd. has launched the “Circular Pave Project,” an ambitious initiative aimed at transforming discarded solar panels into a valuable resource in the construction industry. Japan faces a looming challenge: the anticipated mass disposal of solar panels in the coming years, which presents significant environmental concerns, particularly with the hard-to-recycle glass components.

As part of the Circular Pave Project, Unison developed “Circular Pave Solar,” a concrete block that utilizes sand processed from cover glass discarded during the recycling of solar panels, effectively replacing natural sand. By incorporating glass particles from solar panels into the mixture, the product exhibits an appearance reminiscent of natural quartz, combining an organic texture with a unique gradient that elevates both its functionality and aesthetics.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry recently laid out a draft plan to consolidate companies exiting the solar power industry, ensuring a sustainable approach to managing renewable energy resources. With the expected surge in solar panel disposal from 2030 onward, estimated between 170,000 to 280,000 tons by 2036, landfill disposal of difficult-to-recycle glass parts is projected to increase sharply, necessitating more circular solutions.

The Circular Pave Project aims to address this growing waste issue by converting landfill-bound glass into new building materials. It’ll help reduce the volume of waste, and lessens reliance on traditional natural aggregates such as sand and gravel, thereby conserving these valuable resources. Additionally, Unison is expanding this effort to include the recycling of side glass from automobiles, with the aim of improving the overall recycling rate.

Kazuya Masubuchi, head of Circular Lab at Unison, emphasized the company’s commitment to local sustainability efforts, noting their support for the “Circular City Gamagori” initiative. He explained that the new concrete blocks are made from glass recycled within Gamagori City and will be used in renovations of vacant homes in the area to create a local circular economy.