Work

Defining the goals of Product Passports by circular product strategies

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Information gaps are one of the major obstacles identified for the realization of a circular economy. Therefore, so-called product passports (PPs) are presented as a solution in the literature. A PP should provide the necessary information to all stakeholders along the product's value chain to act more circularly. In general, information systems (IS) close information gaps, and in this study, we identify PPs as an instance of green IS. Although essential, the goals of PPs in the CE transition are unclear and barely defined. Furthermore, this study seeks to evaluate which impact PPs might have on electronic products’ life-cycle. We conducted a Delphi study among experts within academia, industry, government, consultancy, and NGOs to assess the goals of PPs and how PPs might shift the handling of electronics according to the 9R framework. The results show that the information provided in PPs should and can enhance the recycling, repurposing, remanufacturing, refurbishing, repairing, and reusing of electronics. Hence, our results promote a more use phase-centric concept of PPs incorporating product use information besides the static cradle-to-gate product information.

Source: Procedia CIRP

DOI: 10.1016/j.procir.2023.02.044

Authors: René H. Reich, Joëlle Ayan, Luc Alaerts, Karel Van Acker

Institutions: Flanders Make (Belgium), KU Leuven

Language: English

Topic: Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Subfield: Strategy and Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: KU Leuven