IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/circec/v5y2025i3d10.1007_s43615-025-00500-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Smart Tags as Enablers for Digital Product Passports in Circular Electronics Value Chains

Author

Listed:
  • Liisa Hakola

    (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.)

  • Fatemeh Abedi

    (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.)

  • Sirpa Nordman

    (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.)

  • Maria Smolander

    (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.)

  • Jouni Paltakari

    (Aalto University)

Abstract

The electronics industry is expected to adopt more sustainable and circular product concepts and operations. Since the electronics value chains are complex, digital product passports (DPPs) that provide value chain transparency and traceability can be seen as one key enabler for shifting towards circular economy. Data carriers that are physical identifiers attached to products provide access to product data stored in the cloud and databases. Smart tags that combine item-level identification with condition monitoring are proposed to enable access also to dynamic lifecycle data of products to improve decision-making at end-of-life based on conditions that the product has been exposed to during its lifecycle. This dynamic information could be effectively used together with product data to decide on which circular economy strategy to adopt: reuse, remanufacture, repair, recycle etc. This paper analyses the data requirements of electronics value chain for DPPs, specifically focusing on which conditions to monitor with the help of smart tags. The data for this analysis was collected from ten developmental value chains aiming for sustainability and circularity with a questionnaire related to data needs, data access, data gaps, and data availability. The responses highlighted the need for data exchange and tools to monitor performance of components during storage and use. A printed visual humidity sensor is developed and analyzed as an experimental case study to help the value chains to dynamically monitor lifecycle conditions of products. This smart tag principal was functional with a visible colour change over time at different humidities between 33–72%RH, while not reacting at 0%RH. The relevance of different smart tag concepts is discussed and other important aspects, such as sustainability and durability of the smart tags, are included in the discussion.

Suggested Citation

  • Liisa Hakola & Fatemeh Abedi & Sirpa Nordman & Maria Smolander & Jouni Paltakari, 2025. "Smart Tags as Enablers for Digital Product Passports in Circular Electronics Value Chains," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(3), pages 2033-2055, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:5:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s43615-025-00500-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s43615-025-00500-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s43615-025-00500-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s43615-025-00500-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tuhibur Rahman & Ahmed Al Mansur & Molla Shahadat Hossain Lipu & Md. Siddikur Rahman & Ratil H. Ashique & Mohamad Abou Houran & Rajvikram Madurai Elavarasan & Eklas Hossain, 2023. "Investigation of Degradation of Solar Photovoltaics: A Review of Aging Factors, Impacts, and Future Directions toward Sustainable Energy Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-30, April.
    2. Liisa Hakola & Maria Smolander & Inka Orko & Laura Sokka & Marja Välimäki, 2024. "Development of a Qualitative Tool for Sustainability Assessment and Application of the Tool to Benchmark Electronic Smart Labels," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 97-122, March.
    3. Paula Heeß & Jakob Rockstuhl & Marc-Fabian Körner & Jens Strüker, 2024. "Enhancing trust in global supply chains: Conceptualizing Digital Product Passports for a low-carbon hydrogen market," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 34(1), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Konstantinos Voulgaridis & Thomas Lagkas & Constantinos Marios Angelopoulos & Alexandros-Apostolos A. Boulogeorgos & Vasileios Argyriou & Panagiotis Sarigiannidis, 2024. "Digital product passports as enablers of digital circular economy: a framework based on technological perspective," Telecommunication Systems: Modelling, Analysis, Design and Management, Springer, vol. 85(4), pages 699-715, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sánchez-Pozo, Nadia N. & Vanem, Erik & Bloomfield, Hannah & Aizpurua, Jose I., 2025. "A probabilistic risk assessment framework for the impact assessment of extreme events on renewable power plant components," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    2. Hamoud Alafnan, 2024. "The Impact of PV Panel Degradation Rate, Initial System Efficiency, and Interest Rate on the Levelized Cost of Energy for PV Projects: Saudi Arabia as a Benchmark," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-20, November.
    3. Ahmed Al Mansur & Md. Ruhul Amin & Molla Shahadat Hossain Lipu & Md. Imamul Islam & Ratil H. Ashique & Zubaeer Bin Shams & Mohammad Asif ul Haq & Md. Hasan Maruf & ASM Shihavuddin, 2023. "The Effects of Non-Uniformly-Aged Photovoltaic Array on Mismatch Power Loss: A Practical Investigation towards Novel Hybrid Array Configurations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-17, September.
    4. Min Ji Kim & Cheol Hyeon Han & Kyung Jin Park & Ji Sung Moon & Jumyung Um, 2025. "A Blockchain-Based Digital Product Passport System Providing a Federated Learning Environment for Collaboration Between Recycling Centers and Manufacturers to Enable Recycling Automation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-25, March.
    5. Nándor Bozsik & András Szeberényi & Norbert Bozsik, 2024. "Impact of Climate Change on Electric Energy Production from Medium-Size Photovoltaic Module Systems Based on RCP Climate Scenarios," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-32, August.
    6. Gheorghe Sorin-Daniel, 2025. "Designing Internet of Things Systems for Circular Economy and Digital Product Passports – A Requirements Engineering Perspective," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 19(1), pages 5355-5383.
    7. Virginia Fani & Federica Ciccullo & Romeo Bandinelli & Margherita Pero, 2025. "Cultivating trust: An empirical exploration of blockchain’s adoption within the Italian wine supply chain," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 35(1), pages 1-21, December.
    8. Chen, Xie & Mao, Hongzhi & Cheng, Nan & Ma, Ling & Tian, Zhiyong & Luo, Yongqiang & Zhou, Chaohui & Li, Huai & Wang, Qian & Kong, Weiqiang & Fan, Jianhua, 2024. "Climate change impacts on global photovoltaic variability," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 374(C).
    9. Luca Migliari & Daniele Cocco & Mario Petrollese, 2025. "Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS) of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Deployed for Photovoltaic Curtailment Mitigation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-17, July.
    10. Mina Akhter & Ahmed Al Mansur & Md. Imamul Islam & M. S. Hossain Lipu & Tahia F. Karim & Maher G. M. Abdolrasol & Thamer A. H. Alghamdi, 2024. "Sustainable Strategies for Crystalline Solar Cell Recycling: A Review on Recycling Techniques, Companies, and Environmental Impact Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-24, July.
    11. Fatimah Ameen & Abdulrahman Siddiq & Attila Trohák & Rabab Benotsmane, 2023. "A Scalable Hierarchical Dynamic PV Array Reconfiguration under Partial Shading," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-20, December.
    12. Farizal Farizal & Muhammad Aqil Noviandri & Hanif Hamdani, 2024. "Sustainability Development through a Nearly Zero Energy Building Implementation Case: An Office Building in South Jakarta," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-21, August.
    13. Tobias Ströher & Marc-Fabian Körner & Felix Paetzold & Jens Strüker, 2025. "Bridging carbon data’s organizational boundaries: toward automated data sharing in sustainable supply chains," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 35(1), pages 1-22, December.
    14. Adam Fennessy & Vasile Onea & James Walshe & John Doran & Marius Purcar & George Amarandei, 2025. "Suitability of Existing Photovoltaic Degradation Models for Agrivoltaic Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-31, April.
    15. Flavia Papile & Barbara Del Curto, 2025. "Textile Materials Information for Digital Product Passport Implementation in the Textile and Clothing Ecosystem: A Review on the Role of Raw Fibers in a Substantial Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-23, September.
    16. Lei Song & Chunguang Lu & Chen Li & Yongjin Xu & Lin Liu & Xianbo Wang, 2024. "Progress of Photovoltaic DC Fault Arc Detection Based on VOSviewer Bibliometric Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-17, May.
    17. Adam Januszko & Krzysztof Górski & Krzysztof A. Bogdanowicz & Kazimierz Drabczyk & Mariusz Zdrojek & Klaudia Żerańska & Witalis Pellowski & Jacek Miedziak & Agnieszka Iwan, 2025. "Graphene Flakes and Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate-Based Sensor for Detecting Mechanical Damage in Photovoltaic Panels on Sound-Absorbing Screens: An Engineering Approach for Civil and Military Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-18, April.
    18. Jailson P. Carvalho & Eduardo B. Lopes & Joni B. Santos & Jânio Monteiro & Cristiano Cabrita & André Pacheco, 2025. "Comparative Viability of Photovoltaic Investments Across European Countries Using Payback Periods and the Levelized Cost of Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-21, September.
    19. Daruez Afonso & Oumaima Mesbahi & Amal Bouich & Mouhaydine Tlemçani, 2025. "Influence of Long-Term and Short-Term Solar Radiation and Temperature Exposure on the Material Properties and Performance of Photovoltaic Panels: A Comprehensive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-33, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:5:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s43615-025-00500-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.