The U.S. Solar Energy Industries Association has released voluntary guidelines aimed at eliminating the use of forced labor to build solar panel components.
Some U.S. lawmakers have recently expressed concern that the industry is dependent upon the raw material polysilicon linked to work camps in China’s Xinjiang region. U.N. experts and rights groups estimate over a million people, mainly Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, have been detained in camps in Xinjiang in recent years.
Officials in China, the world’s largest maker of solar products, have denied accusations of abuse.
The guidelines, in the form of a 40-page document, outline measures companies should take to identify sources of a product’s materials and to analyze their movements through the supply chain. The recommendations include rigorous descriptions and documentation accompany products as they move through factories and are shipped to the U.S.
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| Aug 11, 2010
Best AEC Firms of 2011/12
Later this year, we will launch Best AEC Firms 2012. We’re looking for firms that create truly positive workplaces for their AEC professionals and support staff. Keep an eye on this page for entry information. +
