I agree Oops409. I want more information from an independent source not associated with green energy or fossil fuel industries.
At face value, I don't know how one can say that it is safe when a field of solar panels gets smashed by hail storms. A cursory review shows that solar panels can contain lead, arsenic, and cadmium. The components that make up the solar panels are now likely to be part of the surrounding soil for a long time, if not forever, after a big hail storm.
This is the issue with most man-made items. The exterior of my 130-year-old house was likely painted with lead paint at one time. I'm sure if you tested the soil around my house, it would test positive for lead paint from previous scraping, sanding, and prep work for re-painting. That soil will always now have traces of lead.
Are you going to eat the soil? I hope not. Are you going to breathe it in on a dry, windy day? Maybe.
Solar companies are always closing down, with owners opening a new company to avoid some legal issues. I often wonder what will happen to the fields of solar panels in 30 years when they are no longer effective and the company is no longer around. Who will pay for their disposal and replacement? I can take a wild guess.
Let's hope we're not developing the future superfund sites because of the "need" for solar panels.