Zambian families and companies throw their old solar batteries in the nearest corn field and then buy and install a new cheap battery. Zambia has little expertise on how discarded solar equipment should be recycled.
Since 2011, China has invested more than $50 billion globally, or 10 times more than Europe, in its photovoltaic energy supply capacity. In Zambia, exact data on imports of solar equipment from this or other countries is very imprecise due to porous borders (which allow informal smuggling), under-declaration of services customs.