Do scrapped PV modules have the risk of pollution? The answer is yes. Here is an article by Michael Shellenberger published on Forbes.com entitled: If Solar Panels Are So Clean, Why Do They Produce So Much Toxic Wastes?

Scrapped PV modules have the risk of pollution. How to deal with it and who is responsible for it?
 
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimated that there were about 250,000 metric tons of solar panel waste worldwide in 2016 in solar PV systems (mainly rooftop PV systems, ground PV system and floating PV systems.). By 2050, it will reach 78m tonnes.
 
Solar panels typically contain lead, cadmium and other toxic chemicals that can't be removed without taking apart the entire solar panel. About 90 percent of pv modules are made of glass, which is often difficult to recycle due to impurities (plastic, lead, cadmium and antimony).
 
The researchers in the United States Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) have the utilities conducted a study of solar energy, concluded that solar panels "in conventional landfill disposal is not recommended, in case the component breakdown and toxic substances into the soil", so "scrapped disposal of components may be a major problem"
 
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) held a meeting with solar and waste industry representatives last August to discuss how to deal with photovoltaic wastes. At the meeting, representatives from both industry and the DTSC acknowledged the difficulty of determining whether removed solar panels should be classified as hazardous wastes. Some experts have suggested a database of solar panels and their toxicity that could be tracked by their model numbers.
 
The fact that cadmium can be washed out of solar panels by rain. That is a growing concern for environmentalists. Fawn Lake is planning to build a 6,350-acre solar photovoltaic farm to power some of Microsoft's data centers, with an estimated 100,000 pounds of cadmium in its 1.8 million panels. Leach in panels damaged by natural disasters (hail storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.) is a big problem, as was the 2015 tornado that destroyed 200,000 photovoltaic modules in Desert Sunshine, a solar farm in Southern California. Large quantities of stones and muds were mixed together. Modules that had been broken into small pieces of glasses had to be swept off the ground, making it difficult to dispose of in factories that recycled components.
 
Many experts have urged mandatory recycling of photovoltaic panels, estimating that the value of materials recovered from used solar panels could exceed $15 billion by 2050. However, the cost of recycling is higher than the economic value of the materials recovered, which is why most solar panels end up in landfills. "If a recycling plant follows every step of the way, their product could end up being more expensive than the new material," said one Chinese expert. If the responsibility for the recycling of solar panels or long-term storage is shifted to manufacturers, PV producers will go bankrupt facing a rapid increase in recycling costs in a percentage of revenue. Some solar industry executives refuse to internalize the costs of safely storing or recycling solar panel waste, saying there are other kinds of e-waste around the world.
 
However, it's worth noting that some new forms of e-waste, namely smartphones like iphones, have in many cases replaced stereo systems, GPS devices and alarm clocks. Then, it overall reduces the e-waste. No other electronics industry has "cleanliness" as its main selling point, and wise solar industry leaders can learn from the past and actively seek stricter regulation, proactively address waste issues and ensure the healthy development of the photovoltaic industry.