Guide to the Digital Product Passport (DPP)
As sustainability and transparency become essential, the Digital Product Passport emerges as a key tool for a more circular and responsible economy. Inspired by new European regulations (ESPR = Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation), let’s explore how these digital passports are transforming the product sector and what this means for us in Quebec and Canada.
What is a Digital Product Passport?
A DPP is a digital record offering detailed information about a product and its entire lifecycle. It covers details such as the product’s origin, materials used, environmental impact, and disposal guidelines. It is often accessible through a QR code or a chip integrated into the item.
This could mean more transparency about what we buy, information on lifespan, recycling options, and even recommendations for extending the life of our products.
Why is it important for a circular economy?
In a linear economy model, products still too often end up in landfills. By integrating digital passports, companies encourage recycling and reuse. Instead of discarding a product at the end of its life, the digital passport allows it to be reintegrated into a repair or recycling circuit.
With this model, every product can be tracked, from its manufacture to its end of life, without compromising sensitive manufacturer information. This approach maximizes product lifespan and reduces waste, contributing to a more sustainable and circular economy.
How does it work in practice?
For example, a surfboard manufacturer could include a digital passport for a board, containing information on the materials used, ethical practices during manufacturing, and maintenance recommendations. By scanning a simple QR code, the consumer could view all this information and assess whether the product meets their own environmental criteria. If the board is later repaired or resold, this information could be updated in the passport, creating a complete product history.
Benefits for Consumers and Businesses
- For Consumers: Increased transparency on products, the ability to make informed choices, and easier access to recycling and sustainability information.
- For Businesses: The ability to comply with new European standards, an improved brand reputation, and stronger trust with customers.
- For the Environment: Reduced waste, optimized resource management, and lower environmental impacts.
The Technology Behind the Digital Product Passport
Blockchain technology is ideal for digital product passports for several reasons:
- Security: With verification and encryption, blockchain reduces fraud risk. Its decentralized structure further enhances security.
- Immutability: Blockchain guarantees data accuracy, as information cannot be altered without validation.
- Transparency: Every transaction is traceable and viewable, ensuring complete transparency.
- Efficiency: It enables fast data processing and simplifies processes with smart contracts, reducing the need for intermediaries.
- Decentralization: Less vulnerable than centralized systems, blockchain is more resistant to attacks and censorship.
New European Regulations: What Impact for Businesses?
The European Union has recently implemented strict regulations to support its transition to a circular economy. By 2027, many products sold on the European market will be required to include a digital passport. This regulation covers a wide range of sectors, including electronics, textiles, and even automotive.
For companies worldwide, including those outside Europe, it’s essential to comply with these requirements if they want to continue selling their products in Europe. This means that manufacturers and distributors in Quebec and Canada, for example, will need to ensure that their products have a digital passport to access the European market. This type of transparency will not only become an entry criterion for this market but also a competitive advantage on a global scale.
Looking for a DPP provider?
Yelosquare, based in Montreal, is your digital product passport provider in Quebec, Canada, and beyond.
Discover our DPP service for businesses
Written by Fabien Lafontaine
Founder of Yelosquare, an entrepreneur committed to technology projects with a positive impact on the environment and society.
The Yelo Digital Product Passport
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