Circularity
Circularity and Recyclability Data
The circularity data at the heart of the Digital Product Passport: repairability, disassembly, recycled content and recyclability.
Why does the Digital Product Passport exist? In one sentence: to accelerate the shift of products from a linear ("make-use-dispose") model to a circular one. That is why circularity data is not decoration on the passport but its heart.
Circularity answers four questions
- Is it repairable? How long are spare parts available, is there a repair manual, is the cost reasonable?
- Is it disassemblable? Can the product be separated into its materials at end of life? Is it glued or screwed?
- How much recycled content? How much of the material used comes from secondary (recycled) sources?
- Is it recyclable? At end of life, can the materials be recovered with existing infrastructure?
These questions are not abstract; each maps to structured fields in the passport, fed by supply-chain data.
Why measurability matters
"Eco-friendly" cannot be audited, but "contains 40% recycled polyamide and is recyclable in a single-material stream" can be. ESPR demands exactly this measurability to curb greenwashing.
Circularity data is also intertwined with life-cycle assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint calculations: as a product's recycled content rises, its environmental footprint usually falls.
Differences by product group
Circularity metrics vary by product: in textiles, fibre composition and washing instructions; in electronics, disassembly and critical raw materials; in batteries, cobalt/lithium recovery come to the fore.
Opportunity for exporters
Collecting circularity data may look like a burden, but it is a powerful marketing and differentiation tool. High recycled content and easy repair are reasons to buy for an increasingly conscious EU customer. You can start collecting the data with our checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prove recycled content?
With certificates, transaction documents and mass balance records. See proving recycled content.
Where does disassembly data come from?
From design and engineering records; passport preparation puts it in writing for the first time. See the Right to Repair Directive.
Is this data useful to me?
Yes: EPR fees are modulated by recyclability. See extended producer responsibility.
