IOTA Introduces Digital Product Passports for Electronics

The
IOTA
Foundation
has
launched
a
new
Digital
Product
Passport
(DPP)
prototype
aimed
at
revolutionizing
the
electronics
industry
by
providing
a
transparent
and
traceable
record
of
electronic
devices
from
manufacturing
to
recycling,
according
to
the

IOTA
Foundation
Blog.

Enhancing
Recycling
with
IOTA
Technology

As
part
of
the
European
Commission-funded
European
Blockchain
Pre-Commercial
Procurement,
IOTA
has
developed
two
pre-commercial
applications
for
DPPs,
focusing
on
different
circular
economy
scenarios.
The
objective
is
to
leverage
blockchain
technology
for
data
traceability
and
auditability
in
the
electronics
sector.
The
prototype
ensures
data
integrity,
regulatory
compliance,
and
supports
sustainable
recycling
practices.

The
European
Union
has
proposed
a
digital
product
passport
as
a
vital
component
of
its
sustainability
and
circularity
initiatives.
This
tool
aims
to
help
businesses,
authorities,
and
consumers
share
and
access
product-related
information
more
transparently
and
efficiently.

Why
Electronics
Need
a
Passport

Digital
Product
Passports
ensure
transparency
and
traceability
throughout
the
lifecycle
of
electronic
devices,
including
batteries.
The
lifecycle
stages
typically
include:

• 
  Raw
  Material
  Acquisition:
  Raw
  and
  secondary
  materials
  are
  used
  to
  create
  parts.
• 
  Production:
  Parts
  are
  assembled
  into
  devices,
  each
  with
  a
  unique
  identifier
  and
  comprehensive
  information
  sheets.
• 
  Use:
  Devices
  may
  be
  repaired,
  upgraded,
  reassigned,
  disposed
  of,
  or
  transferred
  to
  new
  owners.
• 
  End-of-Life
  Treatment:
  Devices
  are
  dismantled
  for
  parts,
  recycled,
  or
  disposed
  of
  in
  landfills.

Each
stage
is
linked
to
documents
that
authenticate
and
record
events,
enhancing
the
accountability
and
verifiability
of
these
processes.

Electronics
Digital
Product
Passport
Solution
Prototype

Developed
in
collaboration
with
the
Technical
University
of
Catalonia
and
eReuse,
the
prototype
uses
IOTA
Smart
Contracts
to
capture
crucial
data
about
electronic
goods.
The
DPP
tracks
the
lifecycle
of
electronic
devices
from
manufacturing
to
recycling.

The
DPP
covers
various
product
types,
focusing
on
unique
electronic
and
ICT
products.

The
Journey
of
an
Electronic
Device’s
DPP

A
fictional
narrative
illustrates
the
journey
of
an
electronic
device
through
the
Digital
Product
Passport
system:

1. 
   Manufacturing:
   A
   manufacturer,
   TechMakers
   Inc.,
   produces
   laptops,
   each
   assigned
   a
   unique
   Chassis
   ID
   and
   Product
   Hardware
   ID.
   Using
   the
   DeviceHub
   application,
   a
   DPP
   is
   created
   for
   each
   laptop,
   capturing
   comprehensive
   details.
   This
   data
   is
   notarized
   on
   the
   IOTA
   Layer
   2
   Smart
   Contract
   Chain.
2. 
   Distribution:
   DistribuTronics,
   a
   distribution
   company,
   records
   proof
   of
   purchase
   and
   invoices
   into
   the
   DPP
   system,
   updating
   essential
   distribution
   details
   via
   DeviceHub.
3. 
   Retail:
   ElectroMart,
   a
   retail
   chain,
   enables
   consumers
   to
   access
   their
   device’s
   DPP
   using
   a
   QR
   code.
   Consumers
   can
   view
   detailed
   information
   about
   their
   device
   through
   the
   DPP
   Viewer
   webpage.
4. 
   Maintenance
   and
   Refurbishment:
   Repair
   services
   like
   FixItTech
   update
   the
   DPP
   to
   reflect
   new
   configurations.
   Refurbishment
   companies
   like
   RenewElectro
   issue
   new
   DPPs
   for
   upgraded
   devices.
5. 
   Recycling:
   EcoRecycle
   processes
   laptops
   at
   the
   end
   of
   their
   life,
   marking
   them
   as
   e-waste
   and
   recording
   proof
   of
   recycling
   on
   the
   blockchain.
   The
   DPP
   Search
   Engine
   allows
   verifiers
   to
   confirm
   the
   recycling
   proof.

Ensuring
Trust
and
Transparency

An
auditing
firm,
GreenCert
Auditors,
verifies
the
recycling
proofs,
ensuring
the
authenticity
and
integrity
of
the
recycling
data.
The
entire
DPP
system
leverages
IOTA’s
distributed
ledger
technology
(DLT)
to
ensure
that
all
device-related
data
is
notarized,
immutable,
and
verifiable.

The
Electronics
DPP
solution
prototype
represents
a
groundbreaking
approach
to
managing
the
lifecycle
of
electronic
devices,
promoting
accountability
and
responsible
repair,
reuse,
and
recycling
practices
for
a
more
circular
economy.

Image
source:
Shutterstock