Who will be impacted by digital product passports: substances of concern?
Substances like mercury, lead and phthalate pose serious environmental and health concerns if not managed properly and as such they are listed as substances of concern. The EU is seeking to reduce these risks by advancing its environmental regulations.
The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) legislation means that all sectors like using substances of concern will need to adopt Digital Product Passports. These will provide transparent in-depth information about materials and chemicals used during manufacturing.
The responsibility for ensuring the information contained in DPPs is on the companies selling, distributing, or manufacturing the associated products, meaning their implementation will impact several parts of the supply chain. This means:
Any company producing electronic devices will need to make sure that all components containing hazardous substances are traceable.
Textiles and clothing manufacturers will need to disclose any SoCs involved the production of their fabrics.
Automotive OEMs will have to record and share the use of SoCs such as lead in batteries to encourage recycling and safe disposal.
Chemical suppliers will need to provide detailed information about the chemicals they manufacture, ensuring users downstream are properly informed about any hazards.
When digital product passports for substances of concern will be implemented:
Any products constraining SoCs and sold within the EU will require a digital passport by January 2027. You can learn more about Digital Product Passport requirements in our guide.
How to prepare for Digital Product Passports for substances of concern?
To comply with upcoming digital product passports for substances of concern, suppliers and manufacturers will have to focus on a few key challenges:
Conduct thorough audits of all current data related to products with SoCs to identify any gaps or inaccuracies.
Designate a DPP lead to develop and implement a compliance strategy, making sure all product DPPs meet the upcoming requirements.
Improve supply chain transparency by ensuring suppliers provide detailed information about the materials and chemicals used in their products
Look into sustainable alternatives to harmful substances to reduce the overall environmental impact of the supply chain
Invest in reliable technology solutions that can facilitate the efficient implementation of DPPs.
What to look out for in a substances of concern DPP?
With the complexity of modern supply chains, companies dealing with any products containing hazardous materials will need a DPP process that offers the best functionality for data management and visibility.
Some key features to look for in a platform will be user friendliness, strong security measures, and suitability to meet the stringent EU regulations soon to be introduced.
AuthentifyIt is designed as an all-in-one solution that addresses every challenge for every stakeholder in the supply chain. Using a unified format to log and share key data, AuthentifyIt ensures transparency and accountability are built in from the start.
We’re also experts at navigating the complex compliance surrounding DPPs and the wider EU regulations around SoCs.
Book a discovery call and we’ll support you to get ahead of the changing landscape.
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