Feasible Strategies for Lead Recovery and Recycling from End-of-Life Perovskite Solar Cells Towards Environmentally Sustainable Technologies

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as one of the most promising next-generation photovoltaic (PV) technologies, offering high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and low fabrication costs. Despite these advantages, their short operational lifetime and the use of toxic lead (Pb) compounds remain major obstacles to industrial deployment. The limited stability of PSCs compared to conventional silicon solar cells reduces their economic viability, while the risk of lead leakage raises serious environmental concerns. Recycling PSCs not only addresses the risk of lead pollution but also enables the recovery and reuse of valuable materials, thereby lowering raw material costs and minimizing production waste. This paper reviews recycling strategies reported in recent studies and evaluates their effectiveness, cost benefits, and feasibility for large-scale industrial applications.