Solar power is not as environmentally friendly as eco-activists claim it is, according to a new study to be published in the September issue of the journal Energy Policy. University of Tennessee, Knoxville engineering professor Chris Cherry analyzed official Indian and Chinese government plans for deploying solar power by 2020 and found that the lead batteries used in solar power production has the potential to release more than 2.4 million tons of lead pollution in those countries.

“Investments in environmental controls in the lead battery industry, along with improvements in battery take-back policies, are needed to complement deployment of solar power in these countries,” Cherry says. “Without improvements, it is increasingly clear that the use of lead batteries will contribute to environmental contamination and lead poisoning among workers and children.”