How to Effectively Package Your Panels to Load a Truck & Retain Value
A PV recycling green flag is when your recycler makes extra sure to help you stack, pile, and prepare your PV panels for recycling. Doing so means that the recycler prioritizes maintaining the value of your panels, whether they be for reuse or recovering materials. It’s important for your field and warehouse teams to know the steps of panel packaging to help retain the value agreed upon with the particular load. It helps the business maintain costs and builds a great working relationship with your go-to recycling vendor.
At Solar eWaste Solutions, our goal is to help the entire Solar Industry recycle more panels, recover more materials, and do it well. That’s why we’ve outlined some key materials and steps to help your team prepare the ideal PV recycling shipment.
Gathering the right materials to package your panels
Gathering the right materials ahead of time will help prevent last-minute improvisaions to meet fast-approaching deadlines for truck arrivals. Well before your trucks arrive to load your panels, gather the following materials and make sure you are prepared.
Materials you will need to properly stack and load your recycled PV panels for loading the truck.
PALLETS – Good, sturdy panels with standard dimensions.
STRAPS – Nylon or steel straps
WRAP – Commercial shrink wrap
LABELS – Found at the end of this document
EQUIPMENT – A forklift or skid steer and pallet jack for loading the truck
Stacking PV pallets neatly to improve recycling outcomes
When preparing solar panels for recycling, it’s important to use sturdy pallets with standard dimensions. Ideally, the pallets should be 4 inches wider and longer than the dimensions of the solar panels, ensuring the width does not exceed 48 inches. This size allows for safe loading onto standard trucks, which have a width of 102 inches, enabling two pallets to fit side by side. If you require pallets wider than 48 inches, please notify the Solar eWaste Solutions Team.
To prevent issues during transport and recycling, stack the solar modules with the glass side facing up, as this reduces the risk of water accumulation. Place broken glass modules on separate pallets from intact ones, and when stacking different sizes of modules on the same pallet, ensure the largest is at the bottom and the smallest at the top. This arrangement helps prevent shifting or tipping during transport. The combined height of the pallet and modules should not exceed 51 inches, as double stacking is often necessary to optimize truck space. However, do not stack more than two pallets high.
When you fail to adhere to the packaging specifications, it could result in additional handling or freight charges. These are all avoidable when you packaging team sets up for success.
Strapping and securing PV panels to the pallet
To secure the solar modules to the pallet, use either nylon or steel bands, ensuring they are strapped in a manner that does not obstruct or interfere with the pallet jack or forklift forks. Each pallet should be secured with at least four straps: two running along the short sides (A) and two along the long sides (B). Place the straps approximately 6 to 12 inches from each corner to ensure a secure hold.
Shrinkwrapping modules with broken glass
If the glass on any solar module is broken, the entire pallet must be fully wrapped using commercial shrink wrap. Apply several layers of shrink wrap, starting from the base and working up to the top of the stack, making sure the entire pallet is completely covered. Secure the loose end of the wrap with packing tape or another appropriate method to prevent it from unraveling during transport.
Labeling and loading your pallets
Print and attach a label to each pallet. At least one label should be securely fastened to each pallet using packaging tape or similar material, ensuring the entire label is adhered to. Use enough tape to keep the label intact throughout transportation.
The standard trailer length is 53 feet, which typically accommodates 18 double-stacked pallets, totaling 36 pallets per truck. Pallets should be arranged to ensure easy access for a pallet jack or forklift. To prevent tipping or damage to the lower stack, place a layer of cardboard or plywood between the stacked pallets. Ensure there is adequate space between pallets to facilitate efficient loading and unloading.
Do this when recycling your PV panels
- ✅️ Select pallets that are the correct size and in good condition; do not use cracked or damaged pallets.
- ✅️ Separate modules with broken glass from those with intact glass.
- ✅️Stack around 25 modules per pallet, ensuring the total height does not exceed 51 inches.
- ✅️Secure the modules to the pallet using straps.
- ✅️Insert cardboard or other protective materials between double-stacked pallets.
- ✅️By adhering to these instructions, you can typically load between 500-900 modules per truck trailer.
Don’t do this when recycling your PV Panels
- 🚫Mix panel sizes with larger panels placed on top
- 🚫Panels not centered on the pallet
- 🚫Place broken and intact glass modules on the same pallet
- 🚫Loose straps obstructing forklift access
- 🚫Use fewer than four straps to secure the load
- 🚫Use damaged or unstable pallets
- 🚫Stack pallets more than two high or above 51 inches
- 🚫Not use protective material between stacked pallets
- 🚫Inconsistently load truck, leaving large gaps between pallets or pallets placed too closely together/touching
Did we leave something out here? Still have a question about properly preparing your panels for delivering to the recycling facility? Get in touch with our team, we’re here to help you improve recovering value for solar panels.
Call or text 928-224-9239 | info@solarewastesolutions.com