HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE USE OF CADMIUM COMPOUNDS IN THIN-FILM PV MODULES

BP Solar's Apollo thin film photovoltaic module fabrication process is based on the thin film semiconductors cadmium sulphide (CdS) and cadm ium telluride (CdTe). It is a leading technology with aperture area ef ficiencies of more than 10% reported for devices of area 706 cm(2) and 7.and% for modules with aperture areas up to 4,540 cm(2) [1]. Through out the world cadmium and cadmium compounds are regulated in the workp lace and in the market place. In this paper some of the important heal th, safety and environmental issues associated with the use of cadmium compounds during the manufacture, use and disposal of Apollo thin fil m CdTe solar modules will be discussed. Evidence will be reported whic h indicates that the module fabrication process will have little effec t on the workforce and the environment. Also tests indicate that the e nvironmental impact from product use or as a result of a storage fire will also be very low. We will also demonstrate the viability of dispo sing of waste product in municipal landfill sites. This is possible be cause of the very small amounts of CdS and CdTe in the modules and bec ause the levels of Cd leached from modules, are well below allowable l imits, when tested by prescribed methods which aim to simulate landfil l conditions.