[clomond]

That is because CdTe is actually a stable molecule that isn’t water soluble, turns out the problem of panels from a toxic leeching perspective is largely from the small amounts of lead used at soldering points which is a common point with most silicon PV panels.

No reason tin can’t be used instead/lead free panels can’t be made except for the saving of a few pennies by skimping on the solder - no regulations to ensure they should be lead free. Unfortunately waste processing decades into the future isn’t often accounted for and those few pennies at design time add up across hundreds of thousands of panels on a single site…

[hoseja]

Have they actually made a decent lead-free solder yet?

[Doxin]

Yes. You just need to set your iron a fair bit hotter and learn to live with matte solder joints.

[pmlnr]

Nope.

[pencilguin]

Nowadays everything is "ROHS", even in the US, so not even lead.