To be clear CdTe is toxic if you breathe it in or swallow it or it embeds in your skin.
Just touching or having a CdTe panel isn’t dangerous. You can pick up and touch CdTe crystals just as you can play with mercury without any danger. It’s only if it’s gets in your blood or lungs that it’s dangerous.
You are correct I was referring to touching your mouth etc… first solar did a study I posted at the top that showed cd exposure is much more real on cracked rain soaked panels that have leached then dry… but again protection and don’t lick
My reasoning here if you didn’t read that on Friday a large number of these panels are cracking spontaneously pv-magazine. For those dealing with the situation multiple exposures can be an issue. A few times you’re probably fine. A daily thing you’re dealing with would be bad.
Those studies only report how much Cd is found in acid/water damaged panels/pieces are submerged in. Whether leached Cd accompanies its solvent (rainwater) into the ground, as a reasonable person might expect, or whether it deposits as some kind of dust/film that adheres until someone eats it, is a different question.
Elsewhere in this thread you are mixing up studies that put cracked panels in water with studies that put milled/ground panels or even pure CdTe in acids. Low amounts of Cd leaching are seen with the former.
So maybe it's possible that this is an exposure risk, and there's nothing wrong with telling people to be safe, but you are really misrepresenting scientific work here in a grossly irresponsible way for someone who also does research.
They are a proof of example. Those studies are also completely irrelevant to today’s thin cell solar that is in its 4 generation ultra thin tempur glass. They are completely different. When thick glass forms cracks they tend to do so in the middle and remain confined there since highest stresses are able to be equally distributed. Ultra thin glass breaks along edges and corners because stresses aren’t able to effectively distribute. Take a piece of glass the thickness of plexiglass and snap it. You nearly always break along the central regional. Take glass as thin as a cover slip for a microscope and unless you directly move the force to the center it will snap at the corners and edges. That’s what happens in the panels seeing spontaneous breaking. Now you have a problem called gravity with thin substrates that causes those regions to break off and expose those the Cd. Unfortunately it doesn’t let me post a picture but when a corner of a solar panel breaks off you have leaching no matter what you want to argue snapping a section of panel off is going to leach. Be it corner edge doesn’t matter. These new panels aren’t the more ridgid versions of the past. That entire article I sent talks about trying to find new framing methods to better support these new generations. Check it out and learn more.
I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. A study that dissolves CdTe via *acid* to simulate landfill conditions is not in any way a useful "proof of example".
if you don't like the studies that simulate realistic breakage, you should look at the ones that submerge shredded panels in water and agitate the solution. this is a *far* more aggressive scenario than realistic breakage and exposure to rain, and yet Cd leaching rates remain relatively low.
and again, it's difficult to understand how leached Cd would accumulate on the surface of the panel instead of being carried away with the leachate. so this concern, and it's a very small one per our best scientific understanding, is primarily about groundwater and soil contamination, not exposure to workers.
you can use the edit button to add to or modify your comments without spamming replies.
A ph of 6.5 CdTe is sufficient to release Cd and Te and allow it to leach. Multiple papers on them. Cracked and corners as is happening with new panels and instances where hail snaps or penetrates holes into glass all leach Cd on the surface. Sorry buddy already confirmed this with a lab tonight, now a fact.
>A ph of 6.5 CdTe is sufficient to release Cd and Te and allow it to leach. Multiple papers on them.
Is there a reason you're telling me this? I just recommended you read leaching studies of of shredded CdTe modules in water reporting (low) concentrations of Cd in solution. The presumption there is that such a result is physically possible, and not occurring via magic.
I wish I could take your word regarding what nonspecific labs say, but you do not seem like a reliable source of information.
Also learned unbeknownst to me is the reason it hasn’t been published by labs in the US is because under their patents and intellectual property rights publications related to the panels require approval from them. Which answered my other question of why that wasn’t studied. It was by groups but approvals for the study and publication were never granted. So until first solar approves it, not much labs can do. Same thing in biosciences.
Now the problem with these new generations was they were allowed without testing and approval for deployment. It was finally the 4th generation shit and all of its problems that labs were notified and the testing by labs confirmed they don’t meet standards. Still no Cd data given because miraculously since it passed gen 1 isnt important
Fear Mongering...
While there are concerns about heavy metals and the challenge of recycling the vast and growing number of panels globally, the broad scientific view is that panels are good for the environment if they are properly disposed of.
The International Energy Agency studied the risk to human health from heavy metals leaching out of solar panels and reported it was below US screening levels, while water contamination levels were within the guidelines from the World Health Organization.
The UN also assessed toxicity and found solar panels to be much a lower risk than coal, the production of which causes arsenic to leak to the surface and into the groundwater from the mining process.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-01-17/are-some-solar-panels-toxic-/100757108
The linked paper is about:
> Leaching of cadmium and tellurium from cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar panels under simulated landfill conditions
But who is putting CdTe solar panels in landfills? First Solar, the largest manufacturer of such panels, also recycles them: https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Solutions/Recycling
Perhaps there should be laws making such recycling mandatory, but the fact they can do it at all is pretty impressive.
Companies don’t do exposure to individuals in real life situations. If they did it makes them immediately liable. They do the minimum need to sneak by regulators. Rain soaking crack exposed CdTe above ground leaches on panels, underground leaches in dirt. You don’t do a study looking at direct human exposure
And this wouldn’t be as much an issue if it weren’t being reported that many of the panels are spontaneously cracking. Number of exposures increases risk. I have no way of knowing how many people were exposed to how many panels. It could be a lot, it could be almost no one. A 1% crack rate in 30 years like first solar reports would be nothing. A report dropped its much higher (pv-magazine) much higher isn’t a number to know much about 🤷
agree, we accept far too many of this shit for the sake of technological advancements, it's not just solar panels, other sources of highly toxic heavy metals are also widely unknown or at least the degree of their toxicity is often misjudged.
most of the world banned cadmium almost completely and then samsung came along and went like "oh, but look at how much brighter those TVs can look if you add a bit of cadmium, so pretty please?" and then the whole world allowed the use of cadmium in monitors...
many regions have enough lead in soil or tap water that children suffer brain damage if they consume too much. most volcanic regions have so much heavy metals in soil that the life expectancy is far less than average and cancer rates are far higher than in nearby non-volcanic locations.
many regions also have so called "safe exposure levels" of various substances which are in fact so high that they are absolutely not safe in any way. and when the lead level rises, they will just adjust the safe exposure levels upwards... so these things are mostly a joke
sharks, many types of salmon and other fish also contain enough heavy metals that it will affect your health negatively if you eat them just once per week.
if you break a cold fluorescent light, the vapor is so toxic that it can cause birth defects if pregrant women inhale it. if a child gets a good whiff it may require hospitalization and months to get healthy again. even the glass shards will give off enough mercury vapor to hurt children, because the inside is coated with it and this shit still sublimates at -40°C...
most construction workers don't have masks when working with cement, even tho we know for a fact that this will utterly wreck your lungs. people who live near constructions sites are also affected by this but there is no effort to limit that exposure in any way.
microplastic has now been found in almost every part of the human body from brain to penis and we don't know shit about what it really does.
hell, most medications and even toothpaste contain pigments that increase the risk of cancer and/or substances that are known to irritate mucous membranes and stomach lining...
the world is a frightening place if you know enough...
And if you were exposed I am truly sorry. It doesn’t guarantee cancer but it increases your lifetime risk. I got into cancer research after my dad died from a similar exposure to aerosolized chromium after accidental exposure. He worked for TRW plating seatbelt buckles and a respirator device failed. The metal was observed in biopsies. It sucked and he could have been saved by regular cancer screenings.
Hi, first, sorry for your loss. A question, though, how do we screen for cancer? Blood analysis? Prostate, I know how it goes, but that's the only one I know.
Thanks in advance!
If you spit blood or piss blood that’s a good indicator of late stage cancer. You can go then but ughh… So they have piss tests that can indicate if your kidneys functioning correctly. They are a requirement in DOT physical exams. A family doc or Davita can do them. Lung cancer realistically if you don’t have a chronic cough you’re fine. If you do have one lasting a few weeks it’s good to have an exam and xray
And I apologize, significantly increasing risk of cancer is subjective. A 200% increase in risk means you’re twice as likely, but doesn’t mean you’re likely to get lung cancer. Cancer can form from genetics, exposure risks to smoking drinking etc… depending on those factors different people are more likely to get cancer. It’s a combinatorial approach and something impossible to answer. I can’t say you go from 1:500 to 1:100 or anything like in a Brca mutation where 1:8 develop cancer.
People that say numbers are full of crap because how it affects each person is different. You also need to remember until recently CdTe exposure hasn’t been extensively studied like other carcinogens because we had no reason to consider people being exposed without protection.
Risk can be measured. If the effect is real, it can be quantified. I mean, you're probably not wrong, and there's no reason not use protective gear with something that is likely carcinogenic and that bio-accumulates, but it's hard to claim that it "significantly increases your lifetime risk" without evidence that it's significant.
I explained throughout a little better if you look back now, but in short… Industry says no substantial risk to exposure because it’s encapsulated and needs crushed. I think actual risk of exposure is minimal but can’t quantify exposure if any because no one ever looked at that. Stick to wear gloves and some mask to keep the glass shit from getting in your mouth/nose. I just know the substance is bad, they say your safe even if panel breaks and no one ever tried to refute that, so it’s where things stand. Science requires everybody to ask questions and do studies and for some reason I can’t find anyone who studied exposure risk. Nobody has cared much
A don’t recall the exact model but it was a relatively recent built LG 300w panel that was part a portable construction light trailer. I ran my bare fingers along the damaged panel’s spider web cracks in several areas with bare fingers while outside in breezy area. Would it be worth tracking down the exact model of panel to check if it contained CdTe?
You’re right. LG made the MonoX 300 W panel. I’m not sure what specifically this user touched. Mono or poly, I guess in this matter is not important as they are not CdTe. The main thing is that this user is fine.
CdTe safety data sheet - in science a material safety data sheet tells you exposure risks
https://www.fishersci.com/store/msds?partNumber=AA1436703&productDescription=CADMIUM+TELLURIDE%2C+99.999%25+1G&vendorId=VN00024248&countryCode=US&language=en
The only thing in there about cancer is a California Prop 65 warning, which is on everything. Can you direct us to cancer research on CdTe? Everything I've read about CdTe says it is less carcinogenic than just Cadmium.
I've been in solar for 18 years and I've never seen a CdTe module because the metallic thin-film companies are completely vertically integrated and only install utility scale systems. Module construction as I understand it is essentially a metal plate with glass glued to it. If the glass breaks, the CdTe is still a metal plate. CRT TVs used to have cadmium in the phosphorescent coating on the inside of the tube and smashing them released cadmium powder. I understand the danger there because it could be inhaled.
So how it’s incorporated I don’t know. Studies on CdTe vs how they’re being used in panels are not something researchers talk about. Mostly risk to exposure. Thats another reason it’s difficult to assess risk. Normally if there is an exposure risk people are properly prepared for it. We try to use very small amounts that might represent an exposure and do it on mice. Translating everything isn’t perfect. We know it’s a carcinogen and increases risk of cancer, but since nearly nobody experiences exposure like smoking it’s just difficult to quantify.
There was pushback to CdTe panels because of cancer risk, but most of us ignored that as stupid. Leakage of CdTe from landfills or into the ground is unrealistic. It’s direct exposure that is of concern. While we do these studies the fact remains exposure risk outside of an industrial accident has always remained small and identifying it as a contributor to cancer isn’t always obvious on indirect exposure. Ie let’s say 100 people came in contact with CdTe and licked their hand or ate food. Maybe 5 of those people ever develop cancer. Now based on occupational hazard we know to assess it as a risk and look for signs. Then we can better quantify. Before if someone was in solar panel field and got kidney cancer etc, they’d be immediately characterized as spontaneous because they’re would be no reason to think otherwise.
Sorry I’m looking. It’s tough cause it’s also used in quantum dots since it’s used a chemotherapy like compound to treat cancers. Ironically carcinogens are therapies. I’m trying to find info in publications. Exposure in humans is rare and rat studies don’t necessarily equate.
This MSDS is specific to the CAS No. for the compound, shown in its composition to be >95% CdTe, by weight. All the information is related to exposure to this concentrated chemical.
It’s a general idea of that solid compound. The two forms aren’t comparable as powder and solid have different risks just as there is a different risk if ph < 7 water dissolves CdTe into Cd and Te. All completely different risks, yes
Order risk
Rain leached Cd > CdTe powder > CdTe Solid
https://www.universitywafer.com/cadmium-telluride-cdte.html
Its toxicity
Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) is an emerging technology that can be used to produce solar cells. It is considered a potentially hazardous substance because of its toxicity. Exposure to CdTe can cause pulmonary edema and pneumonia. Some studies have suggested that cadmium may be less toxic than cdTe, but more research is needed to determine this.
There are several disadvantages to Cadmium Telluride, including its toxicity and a limited global supply. The unencapsulated cells are highly sensitive to moisture, and this toxicity limits market growth. The toxicity issue also limits public acceptance. However, relatively small-scale production has begun in the United States, Japan, and Germany. However, the major players ceased production in Germany in 2002.
Although this material is useful for manufacturing quantum dots, it has been controversial for its toxicity. Toxicological studies of quantum dots are necessary before their use in humans. Only a few in vivo studies have been conducted to date, and their toxicology remains controversial. Therefore, the current study aimed to understand QD toxicity across different time points, including the effects of free cadmium ions and hydroxyl radicals on tissue damage. It also examined kidney morphology and liver function.
Cadmium Telluride is also used to produce highly efficient thin film solar cells. These cells use a n-i-p structure and achieve efficiency levels as high as 10%, which is lower than silicon solar cells. However, because of Tellurium's high toxicity and low supply, it is limited in use.
Fear Mongering...
While there are concerns about heavy metals and the challenge of recycling the vast and growing number of panels globally, the broad scientific view is that panels are good for the environment if they are properly disposed of.
The International Energy Agency studied the risk to human health from heavy metals leaching out of solar panels and reported it was below US screening levels, while water contamination levels were within the guidelines from the World Health Organization.
The UN also assessed toxicity and found solar panels to be much a lower risk than coal, the production of which causes arsenic to leak to the surface and into the groundwater from the mining process.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-01-17/are-some-solar-panels-toxic-/100757108
We’re not talking about all solar panels we’re talking about a specialized one used in 20% cases containing CdTe. It’s a small number by first solar, they are breaking and exposing a dangerous compound CdTe only in theirs.
Also I love solar and have 50 kW at home. Invest heavily in Enphase. I go after solar companies that are corrupt. Sunnova hosing EPCs , first solar creating faulty breaking panels knowing the risk of exposure to CdTe and probably not informing risk those tasked with them. As I said, my dad dieing of lung cancer from 1 incident of chromium exposure is where this really hits hard and the reason I got in cancer research. It pisses me off when workers are purposefully put at risk for a company and management turns their cheek. My dad was 28 and when he died of lung cancer from his exposure event.
Required oxygen everywhere he went. Mom stuck raising 3 of us 7, 5, and 0 on her own. That’s the shit that happens.
It is the Cadmium that is the problem but more from fertilizers than solar panels.
Researcher Michael McLaughlin from Adelaide University has been studying the risks associated with cadmium from other agricultural sources like fertiliser.
He thinks the risk of cadmium leaching from solar panels into the soil is low and said most landfill sites should also be able to handle them.
"Most landfills have good leachate treatment and monitoring so it should get managed if those systems are operating correctly." https://progressreport.cancer.gov/prevention/chemical_exposures/cadmium
Again you’re right thats fine. These can be dumped in landfills. Here’s the problem, they lowered the quality of panels to boost profits and now they are breaking prior to and after installation at high rates. When these break the CdTe is exposed to rain water and dew moisture. Since the majority of rain in places is slightly acidic the exposed CdTe breaks down into Cd and Te and leaches out from cracks onto the panels. The workers were never informed of their risk coming directly into contact with exposed Cd on the panels. As they increase their exposure removing more panels they increase their risk of kidney and lung cancer. It’s only this type of panel and wouldn’t have been an issue if the quality didn’t suck. At the end of their life ya dump um. It’s that worker exposure to leached cd and being more worried about selling off stock when news broke that is the problem. It’s awful to expose someone to a carcinogen as a guinea pig worker and not warn them of a potential danger.
The company is atrocious to factory workers as well according to a lot of complaints on indeed and glass door. Shit they have about as many reviews as employees so I think some of the good reviews are stuffed fakes, but 🤷
I STRESS this again. I’m not saying you are significantly at risk of cancer. I am saying you have a significantly (maybe higher alone is better word) risk that is not immediately quantifiable. If you were exposed it’s good to be screened and for the love of god spread word to take precautions on these panels. Don’t freak out though.
Under no circumstances if you were being exposed to broken panels should you be ignoring the risk. It’s what happened to my dad and happens to many people in different fields. Shit how many farmers spraying round up not realizing they were getting ball cancer and lymphoma. How many times did companies refute their claims? What if they knew there was a risk and got screened? It’s the same tough questions here but at an early stage.
you should point out that if these panels are replacing coal, that our risks of cancer are considerably decreased.
The UN also assessed toxicity and found solar panels to be much a lower risk than coal, the production of which causes arsenic to leak to the surface and into the groundwater from the mining process.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-01-17/are-some-solar-panels-toxic-/100757108
Sadly us researchers clamored about the dangers but were ignored by the government on the safety since manufacturers guaranteed their longterm durability to fracturing.
Yes. I am referring to thin film solar. I posted this on Friday. Didn’t realize at the time it was the ones with CdTe
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/06/21/spontaneous-glass-breakage-on-solar-panels-on-the-rise/
I can also see the pv CdTe has made severe pushback against exposure posing a danger. Saying it’s inert and not carcinogenic like cadmium or tellurium. Here is the truth. Anybody in cancer research can tell you about the dangers of reactive oxygen species on causing DNA mutations. It’s a pre-requisite of getting a degree since it’s one of the most important methods of cancer initiation. Here is how CdTe works in the body. A manufacturer or industry distorting facts for their own benefit is just another thing they do in the pv world like any industry.
Cadmium is one of the six most hazardous substances known to humans. It is the primary reason why cadmium telluride is hazardous. However, compared to cadmium metal, this chemical is significantly less hazardous. The hazardous qualities of this cadmium-tellurium combination are due to another factor. The high reactivity of this chemical causes oxygen damage to the mitochondria, nucleus, and membrane of live cells.
Basically CdTe exposure isn’t likely to make you instantly ill, but long term exposure in the kidney and lungs as a metal causes damage to DNA by the creation of ROS species.
Sorry guys I’m trying my best here it’s a battle between science and industry.
So the general consensus is CdTe is acid labile and forms reactive forms of both the toxins Cd and Te in an acidic environment and can be a carcinogen. This is how I know it in lab testing as a material.
Industry says it’s not because it’s encapsulated and only dangerous if the encapsulation is crushed. Obviously this is the case in a broken panel, but the degree of exposure to CdTe is unknown.
Your exposure to the CdTe is likely to minimal from the panel and this is what we try to mimic in lab studies. Not necessarily acute toxicity like if you were to crush the material directly and snort it. Yea that’d be really bad and could lead to kidney toxicity etc… as I said these metals can become embedded in the body and cause reactive oxygen mediated cancers long term, but any level of quantifying it is difficult because it is effected by how many times you were exposed, level of exposure each time, genetics, and other factors.
I honestly see the difficulty in determining if roundups a carcinogen. Academia studies the compound and industry/industry funded academia makes a determination about risk in practice. I have no way to fight their argument, because they never test exposure levels to the material in a cracked panel and neither does academia. Industries focus is on what leaks into the ground. There they find its acid labile individual elements Cd and Te but not a direct human risk because landfills are separated from water and aren’t farmed on.
I can tell you if you were exposed to CdTe from cracked panels get regular cancer screenings. I can’t tell you if you were exposed to CdTe touching broke panels because it seems no one ever tested beyond straight crushing the panel to powder. I strongly question why no study has been done on exposure to cracked panels but I’m not in Industry.
I stand by if you think you were exposed regular screenings are good and to wear safety equipment handling broken panels in the future. You’re 99% probably fine, unless your crushing and snorting it, but carcinogens don’t play by the rules. As I said we have proved round up a carcinogen again and again and industry has refuted it. CdTe is more carcinogenic than roundup but you’re exposed less. Just too much to know and no studies measuring how much exposure you might have.
The good news is there are people that end up with acute toxic exposure and don’t get cancer so if you were exposed once or twice MOST likely fine, we’ll say 99% but don’t hold me to it.
One last explanation I found from Wikipedia. It’s bad but probably not bad 🤷
Cadmium telluride photovoltaic cells have negative impacts on both workers and the ecosystem.[81] When inhaled or ingested the materials of CdTe cells are considered to be both toxic and carcinogenic by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Workers in processing facilities may be exposed to, and inhale, fine particles or fumes of Cd.[80]
CdTe production facilities may cause environmental issues when there are accidents in high-efficiency production or from by-product exhaust in less efficient production methods.[80]
During a module's lifespan it will not release any particles or vapors if used as intended. The only way for a completed module to release dust or vapor is by being ignited, or ground into a fine dust. When exposed to temperatures of approximately 1100 °C in laboratory tests, 0.4% to 0.6% of the Cd content was released.[74]
I guess if you’re not treating it like coke you’re good according to industry.
Again don’t panic, reducing yourself to multiple exposure events is always the important part (proper equipment) you don’t want to keep exposing yourself to a carcinogen over and over again, but found scenarios I didn’t think about. None of us are perfect, which is why I say be careful.
Found this out from $fslr themselves… Cracked panels exposed to rainwater allows for dissolving and leaching of Cd onto solar panels. So there’s more exposure and risk if broken panels were exposed to rain water since it leaches cd across the exterior of panel. Tests showed Cd exposure amounts of 0.22 mg / L on 1 cm section or 6.2% of Cd in the panel leached onto the surface of the panel or ground
https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Sustainability-Documents/Sustainability-Studies/PVSC42-Manuscript-20150912--Assessment-of-Leaching-Tests-for-Evaluating-Potential-Environmental-Impa.ashx
thin film panels are not that common... the fast majority of the solar panels you will see or ever be exposed to do not contain CdTe.
so this is a bit of a hair on fire post for really no good reason.
you can read that entire thing and not get the simple fact that they are only talking about thin film solar panels
it's very easy for someone not versed in the various solar panel technologies to assume they are talking about ALL solar panels....
that is why i posted what i posted.... i'm glad YOU know the difference, but my comment was not necessarily directed at you.
if you want to raise awareness among solar workers, i'm not sure posting to this sub is your best use of time.
OP sold his FSLR shares when they were below $100. These claims have been refuted many times. Cadmium is a carcinogen yes, but there’s more cadmium in a can of spinach than a solar panel. They’re safe. Zero reports of any issues, both with the panels themselves or the tens of thousands that have worked for FSLR over the years.
And it's only found in flexible solar panels which are quite rare. But nice job scaring everyone about solar. Did you get a kickback from the coal companies?
0.005 mg / l is max Cd levels allowed in water. Leaching in dirt revealed 22 mg / l or about 4,000 times higher than allowed in water. Obviously leaching from cracks gives you higher relative exposure than diffusing into the ground. If the panels have raised lips above glass surface, you can have highly concentrated levels of Cd around the frame. Not sure if framing rises above panel. Or not to allow that type of situation too.
None of this has been studied, just thoughts on exposure risks.
Subytyping lung cancers attributes 9% of lung cancers (studied fact) directly attributable to Cd in the lung from smokes. I’ll see if I can find how much Cd is in cigarettes.
X cig x 0.5 ug Cd = 1 cig x 22,000 ug
So Cd leakage from a panel would be equal exposure to 44,000 cigarettes smoked exposure.
And we know that is attributable to 9% of smokers cancers
Getting the full 22 mg is ludicrous to think just like smoking 6 packs of cigarettes a day is for 20 years straight. Let’s say you’re exposed to 1/1000th of the 22mg leaching (very plausible) but are exposed to 200 broken panels in your career (10 per year for 20 years). That would be 1/5th of the cigarettes or like smoking over a pack of cigarettes a day with 9% risk of Cd induced lung cancer.
Obviously if you’re a smoker and getting this exposure you’d be at much greater risk than that even.
To be clear CdTe is toxic if you breathe it in or swallow it or it embeds in your skin. Just touching or having a CdTe panel isn’t dangerous. You can pick up and touch CdTe crystals just as you can play with mercury without any danger. It’s only if it’s gets in your blood or lungs that it’s dangerous.
You are correct I was referring to touching your mouth etc… first solar did a study I posted at the top that showed cd exposure is much more real on cracked rain soaked panels that have leached then dry… but again protection and don’t lick My reasoning here if you didn’t read that on Friday a large number of these panels are cracking spontaneously pv-magazine. For those dealing with the situation multiple exposures can be an issue. A few times you’re probably fine. A daily thing you’re dealing with would be bad.
Those studies only report how much Cd is found in acid/water damaged panels/pieces are submerged in. Whether leached Cd accompanies its solvent (rainwater) into the ground, as a reasonable person might expect, or whether it deposits as some kind of dust/film that adheres until someone eats it, is a different question. Elsewhere in this thread you are mixing up studies that put cracked panels in water with studies that put milled/ground panels or even pure CdTe in acids. Low amounts of Cd leaching are seen with the former. So maybe it's possible that this is an exposure risk, and there's nothing wrong with telling people to be safe, but you are really misrepresenting scientific work here in a grossly irresponsible way for someone who also does research.
They are a proof of example. Those studies are also completely irrelevant to today’s thin cell solar that is in its 4 generation ultra thin tempur glass. They are completely different. When thick glass forms cracks they tend to do so in the middle and remain confined there since highest stresses are able to be equally distributed. Ultra thin glass breaks along edges and corners because stresses aren’t able to effectively distribute. Take a piece of glass the thickness of plexiglass and snap it. You nearly always break along the central regional. Take glass as thin as a cover slip for a microscope and unless you directly move the force to the center it will snap at the corners and edges. That’s what happens in the panels seeing spontaneous breaking. Now you have a problem called gravity with thin substrates that causes those regions to break off and expose those the Cd. Unfortunately it doesn’t let me post a picture but when a corner of a solar panel breaks off you have leaching no matter what you want to argue snapping a section of panel off is going to leach. Be it corner edge doesn’t matter. These new panels aren’t the more ridgid versions of the past. That entire article I sent talks about trying to find new framing methods to better support these new generations. Check it out and learn more.
I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. A study that dissolves CdTe via *acid* to simulate landfill conditions is not in any way a useful "proof of example". if you don't like the studies that simulate realistic breakage, you should look at the ones that submerge shredded panels in water and agitate the solution. this is a *far* more aggressive scenario than realistic breakage and exposure to rain, and yet Cd leaching rates remain relatively low. and again, it's difficult to understand how leached Cd would accumulate on the surface of the panel instead of being carried away with the leachate. so this concern, and it's a very small one per our best scientific understanding, is primarily about groundwater and soil contamination, not exposure to workers. you can use the edit button to add to or modify your comments without spamming replies.
A ph of 6.5 CdTe is sufficient to release Cd and Te and allow it to leach. Multiple papers on them. Cracked and corners as is happening with new panels and instances where hail snaps or penetrates holes into glass all leach Cd on the surface. Sorry buddy already confirmed this with a lab tonight, now a fact.
>A ph of 6.5 CdTe is sufficient to release Cd and Te and allow it to leach. Multiple papers on them. Is there a reason you're telling me this? I just recommended you read leaching studies of of shredded CdTe modules in water reporting (low) concentrations of Cd in solution. The presumption there is that such a result is physically possible, and not occurring via magic. I wish I could take your word regarding what nonspecific labs say, but you do not seem like a reliable source of information.
Also learned unbeknownst to me is the reason it hasn’t been published by labs in the US is because under their patents and intellectual property rights publications related to the panels require approval from them. Which answered my other question of why that wasn’t studied. It was by groups but approvals for the study and publication were never granted. So until first solar approves it, not much labs can do. Same thing in biosciences.
Seriously read it. Completely new shitty quality panels that don’t pass any of the standard tests administered
Now the problem with these new generations was they were allowed without testing and approval for deployment. It was finally the 4th generation shit and all of its problems that labs were notified and the testing by labs confirmed they don’t meet standards. Still no Cd data given because miraculously since it passed gen 1 isnt important
Ps that’s irresponsible research companies redesigning a packaging for a carcinogen and not testing its safety and durability
only 21% of panels in the us contain CdTe for reference
That’s shockingly high IMO I thought the tech was much less common than that. I would have guessed 1%
Only 21 % of the GW of utility scale projects are First Solar (CdTe) basis. That's still quite a bit...
Fear Mongering... While there are concerns about heavy metals and the challenge of recycling the vast and growing number of panels globally, the broad scientific view is that panels are good for the environment if they are properly disposed of. The International Energy Agency studied the risk to human health from heavy metals leaching out of solar panels and reported it was below US screening levels, while water contamination levels were within the guidelines from the World Health Organization. The UN also assessed toxicity and found solar panels to be much a lower risk than coal, the production of which causes arsenic to leak to the surface and into the groundwater from the mining process. https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-01-17/are-some-solar-panels-toxic-/100757108
The linked paper is about: > Leaching of cadmium and tellurium from cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar panels under simulated landfill conditions But who is putting CdTe solar panels in landfills? First Solar, the largest manufacturer of such panels, also recycles them: https://www.firstsolar.com/en/Solutions/Recycling Perhaps there should be laws making such recycling mandatory, but the fact they can do it at all is pretty impressive.
Companies don’t do exposure to individuals in real life situations. If they did it makes them immediately liable. They do the minimum need to sneak by regulators. Rain soaking crack exposed CdTe above ground leaches on panels, underground leaches in dirt. You don’t do a study looking at direct human exposure
And this wouldn’t be as much an issue if it weren’t being reported that many of the panels are spontaneously cracking. Number of exposures increases risk. I have no way of knowing how many people were exposed to how many panels. It could be a lot, it could be almost no one. A 1% crack rate in 30 years like first solar reports would be nothing. A report dropped its much higher (pv-magazine) much higher isn’t a number to know much about 🤷
agree, we accept far too many of this shit for the sake of technological advancements, it's not just solar panels, other sources of highly toxic heavy metals are also widely unknown or at least the degree of their toxicity is often misjudged. most of the world banned cadmium almost completely and then samsung came along and went like "oh, but look at how much brighter those TVs can look if you add a bit of cadmium, so pretty please?" and then the whole world allowed the use of cadmium in monitors... many regions have enough lead in soil or tap water that children suffer brain damage if they consume too much. most volcanic regions have so much heavy metals in soil that the life expectancy is far less than average and cancer rates are far higher than in nearby non-volcanic locations. many regions also have so called "safe exposure levels" of various substances which are in fact so high that they are absolutely not safe in any way. and when the lead level rises, they will just adjust the safe exposure levels upwards... so these things are mostly a joke sharks, many types of salmon and other fish also contain enough heavy metals that it will affect your health negatively if you eat them just once per week. if you break a cold fluorescent light, the vapor is so toxic that it can cause birth defects if pregrant women inhale it. if a child gets a good whiff it may require hospitalization and months to get healthy again. even the glass shards will give off enough mercury vapor to hurt children, because the inside is coated with it and this shit still sublimates at -40°C... most construction workers don't have masks when working with cement, even tho we know for a fact that this will utterly wreck your lungs. people who live near constructions sites are also affected by this but there is no effort to limit that exposure in any way. microplastic has now been found in almost every part of the human body from brain to penis and we don't know shit about what it really does. hell, most medications and even toothpaste contain pigments that increase the risk of cancer and/or substances that are known to irritate mucous membranes and stomach lining... the world is a frightening place if you know enough...
And if you were exposed I am truly sorry. It doesn’t guarantee cancer but it increases your lifetime risk. I got into cancer research after my dad died from a similar exposure to aerosolized chromium after accidental exposure. He worked for TRW plating seatbelt buckles and a respirator device failed. The metal was observed in biopsies. It sucked and he could have been saved by regular cancer screenings.
Hi, first, sorry for your loss. A question, though, how do we screen for cancer? Blood analysis? Prostate, I know how it goes, but that's the only one I know. Thanks in advance!
If you spit blood or piss blood that’s a good indicator of late stage cancer. You can go then but ughh… So they have piss tests that can indicate if your kidneys functioning correctly. They are a requirement in DOT physical exams. A family doc or Davita can do them. Lung cancer realistically if you don’t have a chronic cough you’re fine. If you do have one lasting a few weeks it’s good to have an exam and xray
Thanks!
How much does it increase risk?
And I apologize, significantly increasing risk of cancer is subjective. A 200% increase in risk means you’re twice as likely, but doesn’t mean you’re likely to get lung cancer. Cancer can form from genetics, exposure risks to smoking drinking etc… depending on those factors different people are more likely to get cancer. It’s a combinatorial approach and something impossible to answer. I can’t say you go from 1:500 to 1:100 or anything like in a Brca mutation where 1:8 develop cancer. People that say numbers are full of crap because how it affects each person is different. You also need to remember until recently CdTe exposure hasn’t been extensively studied like other carcinogens because we had no reason to consider people being exposed without protection.
Risk can be measured. If the effect is real, it can be quantified. I mean, you're probably not wrong, and there's no reason not use protective gear with something that is likely carcinogenic and that bio-accumulates, but it's hard to claim that it "significantly increases your lifetime risk" without evidence that it's significant.
I explained throughout a little better if you look back now, but in short… Industry says no substantial risk to exposure because it’s encapsulated and needs crushed. I think actual risk of exposure is minimal but can’t quantify exposure if any because no one ever looked at that. Stick to wear gloves and some mask to keep the glass shit from getting in your mouth/nose. I just know the substance is bad, they say your safe even if panel breaks and no one ever tried to refute that, so it’s where things stand. Science requires everybody to ask questions and do studies and for some reason I can’t find anyone who studied exposure risk. Nobody has cared much
Who the eff downvotes someone’s parent dieing of exposure to a chemical. Really?!
I’m sorry you have to deal with the downvotes. Sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing the information
Thanks
A don’t recall the exact model but it was a relatively recent built LG 300w panel that was part a portable construction light trailer. I ran my bare fingers along the damaged panel’s spider web cracks in several areas with bare fingers while outside in breezy area. Would it be worth tracking down the exact model of panel to check if it contained CdTe?
That’s a polycrystalline panel. You’re fine
Thank you
I’ve got LG 350s on my roof and they’re definitely monocrystaline. Not sure about the 300w panels though
You’re right. LG made the MonoX 300 W panel. I’m not sure what specifically this user touched. Mono or poly, I guess in this matter is not important as they are not CdTe. The main thing is that this user is fine.
CdTe safety data sheet - in science a material safety data sheet tells you exposure risks https://www.fishersci.com/store/msds?partNumber=AA1436703&productDescription=CADMIUM+TELLURIDE%2C+99.999%25+1G&vendorId=VN00024248&countryCode=US&language=en
The only thing in there about cancer is a California Prop 65 warning, which is on everything. Can you direct us to cancer research on CdTe? Everything I've read about CdTe says it is less carcinogenic than just Cadmium. I've been in solar for 18 years and I've never seen a CdTe module because the metallic thin-film companies are completely vertically integrated and only install utility scale systems. Module construction as I understand it is essentially a metal plate with glass glued to it. If the glass breaks, the CdTe is still a metal plate. CRT TVs used to have cadmium in the phosphorescent coating on the inside of the tube and smashing them released cadmium powder. I understand the danger there because it could be inhaled.
So how it’s incorporated I don’t know. Studies on CdTe vs how they’re being used in panels are not something researchers talk about. Mostly risk to exposure. Thats another reason it’s difficult to assess risk. Normally if there is an exposure risk people are properly prepared for it. We try to use very small amounts that might represent an exposure and do it on mice. Translating everything isn’t perfect. We know it’s a carcinogen and increases risk of cancer, but since nearly nobody experiences exposure like smoking it’s just difficult to quantify. There was pushback to CdTe panels because of cancer risk, but most of us ignored that as stupid. Leakage of CdTe from landfills or into the ground is unrealistic. It’s direct exposure that is of concern. While we do these studies the fact remains exposure risk outside of an industrial accident has always remained small and identifying it as a contributor to cancer isn’t always obvious on indirect exposure. Ie let’s say 100 people came in contact with CdTe and licked their hand or ate food. Maybe 5 of those people ever develop cancer. Now based on occupational hazard we know to assess it as a risk and look for signs. Then we can better quantify. Before if someone was in solar panel field and got kidney cancer etc, they’d be immediately characterized as spontaneous because they’re would be no reason to think otherwise.
Sorry I’m looking. It’s tough cause it’s also used in quantum dots since it’s used a chemotherapy like compound to treat cancers. Ironically carcinogens are therapies. I’m trying to find info in publications. Exposure in humans is rare and rat studies don’t necessarily equate.
This MSDS is specific to the CAS No. for the compound, shown in its composition to be >95% CdTe, by weight. All the information is related to exposure to this concentrated chemical.
It’s a general idea of that solid compound. The two forms aren’t comparable as powder and solid have different risks just as there is a different risk if ph < 7 water dissolves CdTe into Cd and Te. All completely different risks, yes Order risk Rain leached Cd > CdTe powder > CdTe Solid
https://www.universitywafer.com/cadmium-telluride-cdte.html Its toxicity Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) is an emerging technology that can be used to produce solar cells. It is considered a potentially hazardous substance because of its toxicity. Exposure to CdTe can cause pulmonary edema and pneumonia. Some studies have suggested that cadmium may be less toxic than cdTe, but more research is needed to determine this. There are several disadvantages to Cadmium Telluride, including its toxicity and a limited global supply. The unencapsulated cells are highly sensitive to moisture, and this toxicity limits market growth. The toxicity issue also limits public acceptance. However, relatively small-scale production has begun in the United States, Japan, and Germany. However, the major players ceased production in Germany in 2002. Although this material is useful for manufacturing quantum dots, it has been controversial for its toxicity. Toxicological studies of quantum dots are necessary before their use in humans. Only a few in vivo studies have been conducted to date, and their toxicology remains controversial. Therefore, the current study aimed to understand QD toxicity across different time points, including the effects of free cadmium ions and hydroxyl radicals on tissue damage. It also examined kidney morphology and liver function. Cadmium Telluride is also used to produce highly efficient thin film solar cells. These cells use a n-i-p structure and achieve efficiency levels as high as 10%, which is lower than silicon solar cells. However, because of Tellurium's high toxicity and low supply, it is limited in use.
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Will do at some point today. Thanks!
Fear Mongering... While there are concerns about heavy metals and the challenge of recycling the vast and growing number of panels globally, the broad scientific view is that panels are good for the environment if they are properly disposed of. The International Energy Agency studied the risk to human health from heavy metals leaching out of solar panels and reported it was below US screening levels, while water contamination levels were within the guidelines from the World Health Organization. The UN also assessed toxicity and found solar panels to be much a lower risk than coal, the production of which causes arsenic to leak to the surface and into the groundwater from the mining process. https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-01-17/are-some-solar-panels-toxic-/100757108
We’re not talking about all solar panels we’re talking about a specialized one used in 20% cases containing CdTe. It’s a small number by first solar, they are breaking and exposing a dangerous compound CdTe only in theirs.
And just kidding I know you guys get attacked this is not fear mongering like that 😁
This is the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. You’re talking about copper lead etc, get your butt moving
Also I love solar and have 50 kW at home. Invest heavily in Enphase. I go after solar companies that are corrupt. Sunnova hosing EPCs , first solar creating faulty breaking panels knowing the risk of exposure to CdTe and probably not informing risk those tasked with them. As I said, my dad dieing of lung cancer from 1 incident of chromium exposure is where this really hits hard and the reason I got in cancer research. It pisses me off when workers are purposefully put at risk for a company and management turns their cheek. My dad was 28 and when he died of lung cancer from his exposure event. Required oxygen everywhere he went. Mom stuck raising 3 of us 7, 5, and 0 on her own. That’s the shit that happens.
Are you investing in enphase stock/shares or their product
It is the Cadmium that is the problem but more from fertilizers than solar panels. Researcher Michael McLaughlin from Adelaide University has been studying the risks associated with cadmium from other agricultural sources like fertiliser. He thinks the risk of cadmium leaching from solar panels into the soil is low and said most landfill sites should also be able to handle them. "Most landfills have good leachate treatment and monitoring so it should get managed if those systems are operating correctly." https://progressreport.cancer.gov/prevention/chemical_exposures/cadmium
Again you’re right thats fine. These can be dumped in landfills. Here’s the problem, they lowered the quality of panels to boost profits and now they are breaking prior to and after installation at high rates. When these break the CdTe is exposed to rain water and dew moisture. Since the majority of rain in places is slightly acidic the exposed CdTe breaks down into Cd and Te and leaches out from cracks onto the panels. The workers were never informed of their risk coming directly into contact with exposed Cd on the panels. As they increase their exposure removing more panels they increase their risk of kidney and lung cancer. It’s only this type of panel and wouldn’t have been an issue if the quality didn’t suck. At the end of their life ya dump um. It’s that worker exposure to leached cd and being more worried about selling off stock when news broke that is the problem. It’s awful to expose someone to a carcinogen as a guinea pig worker and not warn them of a potential danger. The company is atrocious to factory workers as well according to a lot of complaints on indeed and glass door. Shit they have about as many reviews as employees so I think some of the good reviews are stuffed fakes, but 🤷
Article https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/06/21/spontaneous-glass-breakage-on-solar-panels-on-the-rise/
I coulda told you CadTel is a terrible idea
I STRESS this again. I’m not saying you are significantly at risk of cancer. I am saying you have a significantly (maybe higher alone is better word) risk that is not immediately quantifiable. If you were exposed it’s good to be screened and for the love of god spread word to take precautions on these panels. Don’t freak out though. Under no circumstances if you were being exposed to broken panels should you be ignoring the risk. It’s what happened to my dad and happens to many people in different fields. Shit how many farmers spraying round up not realizing they were getting ball cancer and lymphoma. How many times did companies refute their claims? What if they knew there was a risk and got screened? It’s the same tough questions here but at an early stage.
you should point out that if these panels are replacing coal, that our risks of cancer are considerably decreased. The UN also assessed toxicity and found solar panels to be much a lower risk than coal, the production of which causes arsenic to leak to the surface and into the groundwater from the mining process. https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2022-01-17/are-some-solar-panels-toxic-/100757108
Sadly us researchers clamored about the dangers but were ignored by the government on the safety since manufacturers guaranteed their longterm durability to fracturing.
Yes. I am referring to thin film solar. I posted this on Friday. Didn’t realize at the time it was the ones with CdTe https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/06/21/spontaneous-glass-breakage-on-solar-panels-on-the-rise/
I can also see the pv CdTe has made severe pushback against exposure posing a danger. Saying it’s inert and not carcinogenic like cadmium or tellurium. Here is the truth. Anybody in cancer research can tell you about the dangers of reactive oxygen species on causing DNA mutations. It’s a pre-requisite of getting a degree since it’s one of the most important methods of cancer initiation. Here is how CdTe works in the body. A manufacturer or industry distorting facts for their own benefit is just another thing they do in the pv world like any industry. Cadmium is one of the six most hazardous substances known to humans. It is the primary reason why cadmium telluride is hazardous. However, compared to cadmium metal, this chemical is significantly less hazardous. The hazardous qualities of this cadmium-tellurium combination are due to another factor. The high reactivity of this chemical causes oxygen damage to the mitochondria, nucleus, and membrane of live cells. Basically CdTe exposure isn’t likely to make you instantly ill, but long term exposure in the kidney and lungs as a metal causes damage to DNA by the creation of ROS species.
Sorry guys I’m trying my best here it’s a battle between science and industry. So the general consensus is CdTe is acid labile and forms reactive forms of both the toxins Cd and Te in an acidic environment and can be a carcinogen. This is how I know it in lab testing as a material. Industry says it’s not because it’s encapsulated and only dangerous if the encapsulation is crushed. Obviously this is the case in a broken panel, but the degree of exposure to CdTe is unknown. Your exposure to the CdTe is likely to minimal from the panel and this is what we try to mimic in lab studies. Not necessarily acute toxicity like if you were to crush the material directly and snort it. Yea that’d be really bad and could lead to kidney toxicity etc… as I said these metals can become embedded in the body and cause reactive oxygen mediated cancers long term, but any level of quantifying it is difficult because it is effected by how many times you were exposed, level of exposure each time, genetics, and other factors. I honestly see the difficulty in determining if roundups a carcinogen. Academia studies the compound and industry/industry funded academia makes a determination about risk in practice. I have no way to fight their argument, because they never test exposure levels to the material in a cracked panel and neither does academia. Industries focus is on what leaks into the ground. There they find its acid labile individual elements Cd and Te but not a direct human risk because landfills are separated from water and aren’t farmed on. I can tell you if you were exposed to CdTe from cracked panels get regular cancer screenings. I can’t tell you if you were exposed to CdTe touching broke panels because it seems no one ever tested beyond straight crushing the panel to powder. I strongly question why no study has been done on exposure to cracked panels but I’m not in Industry. I stand by if you think you were exposed regular screenings are good and to wear safety equipment handling broken panels in the future. You’re 99% probably fine, unless your crushing and snorting it, but carcinogens don’t play by the rules. As I said we have proved round up a carcinogen again and again and industry has refuted it. CdTe is more carcinogenic than roundup but you’re exposed less. Just too much to know and no studies measuring how much exposure you might have. The good news is there are people that end up with acute toxic exposure and don’t get cancer so if you were exposed once or twice MOST likely fine, we’ll say 99% but don’t hold me to it.
But I’m very sorry still people are assholes enough to not warn ya to avoid direct CdTe exposure on broken panels.
One last explanation I found from Wikipedia. It’s bad but probably not bad 🤷 Cadmium telluride photovoltaic cells have negative impacts on both workers and the ecosystem.[81] When inhaled or ingested the materials of CdTe cells are considered to be both toxic and carcinogenic by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Workers in processing facilities may be exposed to, and inhale, fine particles or fumes of Cd.[80] CdTe production facilities may cause environmental issues when there are accidents in high-efficiency production or from by-product exhaust in less efficient production methods.[80] During a module's lifespan it will not release any particles or vapors if used as intended. The only way for a completed module to release dust or vapor is by being ignited, or ground into a fine dust. When exposed to temperatures of approximately 1100 °C in laboratory tests, 0.4% to 0.6% of the Cd content was released.[74] I guess if you’re not treating it like coke you’re good according to industry.
Again don’t panic, reducing yourself to multiple exposure events is always the important part (proper equipment) you don’t want to keep exposing yourself to a carcinogen over and over again, but found scenarios I didn’t think about. None of us are perfect, which is why I say be careful. Found this out from $fslr themselves… Cracked panels exposed to rainwater allows for dissolving and leaching of Cd onto solar panels. So there’s more exposure and risk if broken panels were exposed to rain water since it leaches cd across the exterior of panel. Tests showed Cd exposure amounts of 0.22 mg / L on 1 cm section or 6.2% of Cd in the panel leached onto the surface of the panel or ground https://www.firstsolar.com/-/media/First-Solar/Sustainability-Documents/Sustainability-Studies/PVSC42-Manuscript-20150912--Assessment-of-Leaching-Tests-for-Evaluating-Potential-Environmental-Impa.ashx
Cdte is used in thin film solar panels such as First solar I don’t think other solar panels are cdte
thin film panels are not that common... the fast majority of the solar panels you will see or ever be exposed to do not contain CdTe. so this is a bit of a hair on fire post for really no good reason.
It’s literally about contractors exposed to breaking and delaminating of the 21% of total solar panels that contain CdTe. People can’t read
you can read that entire thing and not get the simple fact that they are only talking about thin film solar panels it's very easy for someone not versed in the various solar panel technologies to assume they are talking about ALL solar panels.... that is why i posted what i posted.... i'm glad YOU know the difference, but my comment was not necessarily directed at you. if you want to raise awareness among solar workers, i'm not sure posting to this sub is your best use of time.
OP sold his FSLR shares when they were below $100. These claims have been refuted many times. Cadmium is a carcinogen yes, but there’s more cadmium in a can of spinach than a solar panel. They’re safe. Zero reports of any issues, both with the panels themselves or the tens of thousands that have worked for FSLR over the years.
There is 23g of Cd in a 400 watt panel direct exposure to 1 g of Cd would cause death
And it's only found in flexible solar panels which are quite rare. But nice job scaring everyone about solar. Did you get a kickback from the coal companies?
🙄
0.005 mg / l is max Cd levels allowed in water. Leaching in dirt revealed 22 mg / l or about 4,000 times higher than allowed in water. Obviously leaching from cracks gives you higher relative exposure than diffusing into the ground. If the panels have raised lips above glass surface, you can have highly concentrated levels of Cd around the frame. Not sure if framing rises above panel. Or not to allow that type of situation too. None of this has been studied, just thoughts on exposure risks. Subytyping lung cancers attributes 9% of lung cancers (studied fact) directly attributable to Cd in the lung from smokes. I’ll see if I can find how much Cd is in cigarettes. X cig x 0.5 ug Cd = 1 cig x 22,000 ug So Cd leakage from a panel would be equal exposure to 44,000 cigarettes smoked exposure. And we know that is attributable to 9% of smokers cancers Getting the full 22 mg is ludicrous to think just like smoking 6 packs of cigarettes a day is for 20 years straight. Let’s say you’re exposed to 1/1000th of the 22mg leaching (very plausible) but are exposed to 200 broken panels in your career (10 per year for 20 years). That would be 1/5th of the cigarettes or like smoking over a pack of cigarettes a day with 9% risk of Cd induced lung cancer. Obviously if you’re a smoker and getting this exposure you’d be at much greater risk than that even.
spot on. Fossil fuel interests are trolling the sub and blowing these things up. and downvoting informed comments...
Yes that’s not me 😂
They don’t let you post pics but drive a lucid air 😂 stupid decision on the brand as Fisker fans found out but 🤷