Traceability of e-waste and the use of digital product passports for ICT goods

Exploring Digital Product Passports for Improved E-Waste Management at International ITU Session

An international session convened by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Secretariat of the Basel Convention, and the One Planet Network focused on the pressing challenge of e-waste management and the potential role of digital product passports (DPPs) for ICT goods. Paolo Gemma, chairing the session, highlighted the critical environmental issues arising from the exponential growth of ICT products and the record 62 million tonnes of e-waste generated in 2022. He emphasized the need for strategies such as material reduction, circular design, and repairability enhancements for ICT goods, and introduced the DPP as a vital instrument for improving the traceability and management of ICT goods throughout their lifecycles.

Francesca Cenni from the Secretariat of the Basel Convention elaborated on the Convention’s role in regulating hazardous waste movements and disposal, and how the DPP could aid in implementing the Convention’s requirements by including necessary waste identification data and waste codes for e-waste.

Leila Devia discussed the Basel Convention Regional Centre’s activities in Argentina, focusing on projects for environmentally sound management of e-waste and circular economy initiatives in Latin America. She highlighted the importance of the DPP for identifying and managing hazardous waste in compliance with the Basel Convention.

Galiam Ouedraogo shared insights from a symposium on waste held in Burkina Faso, which concluded that effective e-waste management requires updated regulations, strategies, and action plans. He also noted the symposium’s emphasis on evaluating the performance of ICT goods and the potential role of DPPs in advancing the circular economy in Africa.

Elisa Tonda from UNEP and the One Planet Network stressed the importance of collaboration across regions and organizations for initiatives like the DPP. She explained that harmonizing approaches to capture product information is essential for sustainable decision-making and highlighted UNEP’s efforts in promoting sustainable consumption and production, including circular economy solutions.

Yamilka López from Indotel in the Dominican Republic discussed the country’s new e-waste regulation, which focuses on extended producer responsibility and the recovery of valuable raw materials. She expressed excitement about the DPP’s potential to improve e-waste management and emphasized the need for further understanding and adoption of the technology.

During the Q&A session, audience members inquired about the current status and regulatory aspects of the DPP, as well as its contribution to the circular economy. Paolo Gemma and Elisa Tonda clarified that while the DPP is part of legislation in Europe for batteries, it is still in the developmental stages for other products, including ICT goods. They called for international collaboration and standardization to ensure the DPP’s effectiveness across different regions and industries.

The session concluded with an acknowledgment of the DPP’s promise for enhancing e-waste management by providing detailed product lifecycle information, which supports responsible disposal and recycling practices. However, challenges remain in developing standards, raising awareness, and involving new stakeholders to effect meaningful change. The discussion highlighted the need for increased awareness among member states and active participation in international platforms to contribute to the standard development process. Overall, the session underscored the DPP’s potential to transform e-waste management and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Introduction:
Good morning, good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for being with us in this session on traceability of e-waste and the use of digital product passport for ICT goods. This event is being organized by ITU together with the Secretariat of the Basel Convention and One Planet Network. I am your master of ceremony. My name is Reyna Ubeda. I work for the standardization sector of ITU, and I am the advisor of ITU-T Study Group 5 on Environment, Climate Change, and Circular Economy. First of all, we would like to give the floor to Mr. Paolo Gemma. Mr. Paolo Gemma is the Working Party Chair on Environmental Efficiency, E-waste Circularity, and Sustainable ICT Networks in Study Group 5, who will deliver opening remarks.

Paolo Gemma:
Thanks, Reyna, and good afternoon, or good evening, depending on where you are, if you are connected. Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon, welcome to our session on the traceability of e-waste and the use of digital product passport for ICT goods or products, because goods is the terminology that we use normally in Study Group 5. Normal people use products. And this session is co-organized by the International Telecommunications Union, the Secretariat of the Basel Convention, and the One Planet Network. We are here today to address one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. The effective and responsible management of e-waste. As we advance forward into the digital age, the proliferation of ICT products has been exponential. However, this growth has come at a significant cost for the planet. According to the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor, a record of 62 million tons of e-waste were produced in 2022. To put this into perspective, this amount of e-waste would fill approximately 1.55 million 40-ton trucks, enough to form like an amber line inquiry of the equator. The alarming statistics underscore the urgency of our mission. ITU, in particular ITU-T Study Group 5, has been on the forefront of promoting the need of material reduction through the development of the requirement of a universal charger, which is now part of the regulation in Europe, circular design, raising the hours, and enhancing the repairability of ICT goods. Our efforts encompass production, design, and the crucial principle of circularity. A key tool that facilitates better monitoring, control, and traceability is the digital product passport. ITU is actively encouraging the involvement of different regions in the development and adoption of the DDPS. For instance, in recent months, we collaborated with the One Planet Network to carry out a consultation on DDP knowledge in Burkina Faso. Similar consultations will be conducted in Arab countries, and ITU participation in Latin America is supported by UNIDO, as highlighted by the commitment of this country to this initiative. Today’s session deals with the complexity of traceability within the e-waste ecosystem with a particular focus on the innovative solution of digital product passports. These passports provide a comprehensive digital record of a product lifecycle, from manufacturing to disposal, detailing components, materials, and recycling instructions. By adopting digital product passports, we can finance our ability to track and trace the movement of ICT goods in their lifecycle, promoting responsible disposal and recycling practices. The objectives of our session are multifaceted. We will provide an overview of existing initiatives on digital product passports, showcase best practices within the ICT sector, and highlight the crucial role of international standards. Notably, we will discuss the recommendation of ITU-T 1070, which explores the global opportunity for digital sustainable product passports to achieve a circular economy. However, there is still much work to do. Beyond developing standards, we must continue to create awareness, strengthen our collaboration as there is a need to work together and integrate new actors to drive meaningful change. Thank you for joining us, and I look forward to a productive and enlightening session. Many thanks, Paolo, for the introduction.

Introduction:
Now I would like to give the floor to Francesca Cheney from the Secretariat of the Basel Convention. Francesca, you have the floor.

Francesca Cenni:
Thank you. Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon, good morning, good evening to all participants in the room and also connected online. I’m very pleased to provide opening remarks on behalf of the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions at the opening of this event, organised in the context of the WSIS Forum Plus 20, high-level forum, the event on traceability of e-waste and the use of digital product passport for ICT goods. It is an honour for the BRS Secretariat to be a co-organiser of this event, hosted by the ITU and co-organised also by the One Planet Network Initiative of UNEP, with the moderation of Paolo Gemma, the Chair of the ITU Working Party 2.5 on environmental efficiency, waste circularity and sustainable ICT networks. But I here represent the Basel Convention, and what is the Basel Convention? It is a convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous and other wastes and their disposal. It is the only multilateral environmental agreement binding its parties to manage hazardous and other wastes, including e-waste, in an environmentally sound manner and to prohibit dumping. The Basel Convention entered into force in 1992, and as it has to date, under 91 parties, it is almost universal. It was negotiated to stop dumping of hazardous wastes from developed countries to developing countries, dumping that occurred frequently during the 1980s and the 1990s. To prohibit this sort of traffic, the Convention established a prior informed consent procedure by each and every country involved in a transboundary movement of hazardous and other wastes, with the obligation to demonstrate that each transport of hazardous and other wastes will be finally disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. So in a manner that respects human health and the environment, what the Basel Convention defines as environmentally sound management. In addition to the control of transboundary movements, the Convention develops best practices for the management of several waste streams with technical guidelines. For example, on e-waste, each party to the Convention is bound to implement the technical guidelines at the national level to ensure the wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner. Recently, the parties to the Basel Convention agreed to extend the prior informed consent procedure to all transboundary movements of e-waste, hazardous and non-hazardous. This obligation will become effective on 1 January 2025 and it will require then every transport, every transboundary movement will require the big procedure, whether before only hazardous waste transboundary movements require this procedure. Against this backdrop, why is the Digital Product Passport an important tool for the implementation of the Basel Convention? The Digital Product Passport includes all waste identification data necessary in the prior informed consent procedure as well as the Basel Convention waste codes for labelling e-waste. Also, the Digital Product Passport is a key policy development to support an environmentally sound collection, repair, recycling and final disposal of e-waste because of the information it carries, for example, on valuable content of ICT goods which can be recycled in e-waste. Moreover, innovative technologies can connect the product through its Digital Product Passport to importers to support extended producer responsibility policies where the importers take responsibility for the waste lifecycle stage of their products, participating in take-back schemes and in recycling. Today’s event on the Digital Product Passport introduces the very important role of the ITU Study Group 5, which provides fundamental guidance for the ICT sector and effectively supports the implementation of the Basel Convention. The recommendation on the Digital Product Passport shows the importance of coordination and collaboration between the ITU, the Basel Convention and UNEP, who join forces to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of e-waste. As I round up my remarks, I would like to acknowledge with appreciation your participation in this event and trust that discussions will inspire you to implement policies like the one on the Digital Product Passport to advance the digital transition and promote the full respect of human health and the environment in your countries and in your local context of work. Thank you.

Introduction:
Many thanks, Francesca, for providing also an overview on the Basel Convention and as well as the importance of the Digital Product Passport and how it will be important for traceability, the Basel Convention and what ITU is doing. Now I would like to give the floor to our moderator, Mr. Paolo Gemma, so he can lead the session. Paolo, the floor is yours. Thank you, Eina.

Paolo Gemma:
Okay, we can start the session, just making questions to our speaker here. I like just to continue to Basel Convention as I see that Leila is connected, so we are connected from Argentina, I see Leila there, that is from Basel Convention also. I like to ask you an overview of the activity. Could you provide an overview of the Basel Convention’s recent activity and initiative related to waste management and the circular economy, also relevant to the Latin American region?

Leila Devia:
Thank you, Paolo. Good morning, good evening, good afternoon. Thank you for the invitation to participate to this important event. In the case of the BCRC of Argentina, it is located at the National Institute of Industrial Technology since 1990. The core, the main activities are development and implementation training programs, practical trainings, seminars and projects with the framework of the environmental sound management of hazardous waste. Also promotion of the ratification and application of the Convention. We serve countries assisted by the Basel Regional Centre in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela. Related with circular economy and use of digital products, we have an ongoing project, environmental sound management of lead acid battery waste and electronic waste in the Latin American region. And strengthening of national initiative and improvement of regional cooperation for the environmentally sound management of POPs in waste electrical and electronic equipment in Latin American countries. In the case of the first project, we made a survey with the different countries about the different technologies and the different also legislation and regulation about producer responsibility. In the case of the second project, we purchased equipment to have or to know if there is POPs in this application and in this waste. Also we made some training program with the universities, one with the University of La Plata that you know very well, Viviana Ambrosini, we work with her. She is also a reporter of ITU and we work now in a new project of zero waste with BCRC China about circular economy and I think that is very important that has this tool of digital product passport for these two projects.

Paolo Gemma:
Thank you, Leila. So, we move now to another continent and I like to ask to Mr. Galian from Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso recently hosted the 15th symposium on waste. Can you share with us which was the main conclusion of this symposium on waste?

Galiam Ouedraogo:
Okay, thank you, Paolo. Good afternoon, everybody. First of all, on behalf of Ministry of ICT of Burkina Faso, it has been an honor and a great pleasure for the country to host during three days. This symposium and also the meeting of Africa Regional Student Group 5. Student Group 5 meeting noted several contributions focused on universal chargers, in particular the need to improve them on smart watch manufacturers and also exposure of human and electromagnetic field radiations. Concerning the symposium, after an assessment of the telecommunication landscape in Africa, experiences on practical energy efficiency solutions for Africa has been shared between the countries, including those related to smart use of solar energy, which is very important in this continent. ICT solutions for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has been evaluated with the view of strengthening the continent’s self-reliance. Conflict between mineral extraction and secondary e-waste extraction has also been discussed during this symposium. The importance of harnessing data for sustainable digital transformation has been highlighted also and participants particularly expressed the need to deepen the reflection in order to advance the circular economy in Africa around two areas. The first one is that of the evaluation of the performance of ICT goods and the second and how our digital project passport can help as we discussed today. Finally it has been agreed that e-waste needs an appropriate regulatory framework supported by effective strategies and action plans for the management of this waste. This is a kind of summary of what we did during this meeting and we are very happy to host this with Madame Reina. Thank you.

Paolo Gemma:
Thank you Gaelian to give us what happened in Burkina Faso just a month ago. And okay now we can move to another international organization and I’d like to ask Elisa Tonda how important is collaboration among different regions and organizations for such an initiative like the digital products passport.

Elisa Tonda:
Thank you very much Paolo and thank you very much for having us here and for joining hands with the One Planet Network in creating this space for discussion and for dialogue. I maybe just give a little bit of background of what is the substantive area that is taking me to this discussion. Our team the resources and markets branch within UNEP has a strong focus on promoting sustainable consumption and production policies and practices including circular economy solutions and obviously this comes with a very clear understanding that the products that are currently part of our economies and our societies are actually products that have crossed many boundaries prior to reaching our hands as consumers. They have been maybe their resources are extracted somewhere in the world and then processed somewhere else. The reference to mineral is a very very interesting one because indeed minerals are extracted in countries processed in other assembled in products somewhere else used by consumers in a different part of the world and then in that context they may likely become they may likely reach the end of their first life and that’s where the role of digital product passport is extremely strategic. If we want to be able to retain the value of those products and those resources and keep them in the economy in our society for as long as possible and avoid these becoming waste then the availability of information that helps us understand the trajectory the life of these products the resources contained into it is really very essential. So that’s the let’s say the thinking that brings us into this conversation and it’s very obvious and it’s very clear that if we are to have a coherent way of collecting information and making them available to take decisions around the sustainability of products we really need to have conversation that enable us to harmonize the approaches that are happening in different parts of the world so that we can follow the global supply chains of those products and we are well positioned to make decisions around for example circular economy of those of those products. So to come to the response to the question that you were asking me indeed it’s very critical to have conversation and to have collaboration and to have exchanges across regions and with the organizations that are bringing their different perspective and their different mandates to the conversation and it’s also very critical because we need to have a clear understanding of what is the reality on the ground. So we recently applied an instrument which is called the product environment footprint to products that were produced outside of Europe and were then being imported to Europe and what was very clear was that some of the requirement around calculating the environmental footprint of those products were really very far from the availability of data that existed in the country where those products were produced. So unless we have a space where we can identify the way in which we capture product, we do traceability of information, it would be very difficult that the solutions that we imagine function across different geographies and across different sectors.

Paolo Gemma:
Thank you, Elisa, for this and highlighting the big issue, big discussion on the validity of the data that will be inside the digital passport, it is a very big discussion that is started and we will see how it will be. I hope that, as I do, we will involve in my discussion for the part of the data regarding sustainability on which we are working from some here with some difficulty because it is not so easy to have a common database of data. We hope that it is something that is moving step by step. I would like just to ask now to Jamilka. We know that the Dominican Republic just approved a new e-waste regulation. What are the key elements of this regulation?

Yamilka López:
Thank you very much, Paolo, and on behalf of Indotel, the regulator in the Dominican Republic, we also want to thank the ITU for the invitation. In the process of more than two years of preparations and consultations through the Ministry of Environment, Indotel, the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications of the Dominican Republic, and, of course, the technical assistance of the ITU, we work in the elaboration of a regulation for the management of WE. During this process, several working groups were held involving all sectors, private sector, public sector, civil society, traders, academia, importers, which means that this legislation was approved with all the actors of the system involved. The regulation was approved through a presidential decree, and it stands out for being a transparent legal framework that complies with the basal convention within the framework of the extended responsibility of the producer, importers, or marketers or traders, based on the provisions of Dominican law that recognizes electrical and electronic devices as priority products and their ways as a special management. The highlights of this new legislation in the Dominican Republic are basically the establishment of the responsibilities of the actors involved in the WE management within the framework of the extended producer responsibility, a mechanism or tool to regulate this responsibility of producers, importers, and traders in the sector, and environmentally correct management and recovery of valuable raw materials. With this initiative, the Dominican Republic becomes the first country on the Caribbean area with a framework on WE management. And finally, but not least, it will definitely improve the post-consumption management of electronic and electrical equipment, preventing, mitigating, correcting, and compensating for adverse environmental, social, and economic impacts of inappropriate WE management.

Paolo Gemma:
Thank you, Yamilka, for this information from the Dominican Republic. It’s nice that the Dominican Republic has now legislation on this, because it’s very important to manage the waste, because we cannot, I can say, think that we will never have any waste, because it’s impossible, but it’s important to manage it in some way. And I’ll ask now to ask to Galean, how do you see the broader African region benefit from the development of a digital product path, because we are speaking a lot about digital paths now, which should be the benefit for you?

Galiam Ouedraogo:
Thank you, Paolo. Before to talk about all Africa, I will share the view at Burkina Faso, I think, which is similar of many countries. And you know, in our countries, there is an harmful effects of e-waste, both on human health and environment. There is five key players, the consumers, importers, scrap dealers, collectors, and also mobile phone repairers. And as in many countries in Africa, mobile phone repairer’s business is not so attractive than there is the last 20 years ago. Most of them take advantage of e-waste. They have a big good business on it, and there is a small informal industry which has been developed especially on e-waste mineral extractions. Unfortunately, this is not in an adequate manner. In order to ensure the responsible management of electrical and electronic waste, in Burkina Faso, there is a university, Norbert Zongo University, one of the town, which have set up a center of expertise for metal recovery and recovery, using some environmental metal techniques to extract minerals. And it’s a way of coming from an informal world to a formal world. And DPP, in this process, when we see this kind of reality, which is similar than in many countries in Africa, DPP is a very important challenge. Because the first point is, as we said, the regulation, which needs to be updated, as in many countries, but also the question of information, information coming from informal world to a formal world. This is the bigger issue. When it’s in Europe or other countries, it’s something which is very well known, well managed. But in Africa, the first step is how we come from this informal world to the formal world. We have good information systems, then DPP can be, for sure, very helpful. Thank you.

Paolo Gemma:
Thank you, Gaelian, for this information on the situation of Burkina Faso and how DDP can help you. And this is useful for us to know how we can help you with the work that we do in Zaragoza and just to pass a nice time in Geneva and have some useful application. And I’d like to go back to Elisa. What role do the UNEP and the One Planet Network play in the implementation of promotional digital products in Basel and as a tool for sustainable consumption and production?

Elisa Tonda:
Thank you very much. I’ll reflect some of the initiatives that have a bit of a history within UNEP that can contribute to that, but also I’ll touch upon some of the most recent developments that you have also alluded to in the opening remarks. Obviously, we have quite a history of having been behind lifecycle assessments. So our initiative, our organization is hosting the lifecycle initiative that has historically been providing the data part that then feeds into information tools such as the product environment footprint that I was referring to before, but also the digital product passport going forward. And one of the aspects that I’m particularly keen to reflect is on the earlier two interventions from Yamilka and Gaelian, because they both stress very much the importance of having a way to capture social related information. And social lifecycle assessments are a little bit more on the incipient trajectory, so there needs to be a way to capture that information that is so fundamental and so essential to be able to really tell the history of the product and its trajectory into the economy. There’s obviously quite a tradition of having worked on different business models, innovative business models within UNEP that favor circular economy, sustainable consumption and production, and these can be around recycling, but are also around extended product lifetime, because we all know that frequently in ICT, we do tend to have a turnover of our product faster than what would be necessary. We obviously have also been working through some programs in addressing consumers and providing sustainability information to consumer in a more palatable way, easy to understand way, which is also very strategic if we’re looking at the whole life, the whole trajectory of products in the economy, and we do have quite some experience in different sectors, including the electronic sector, that could be interesting as a basis for thinking through what are the key information that should be captured in a digital product passport. But as I was mentioning, I was leaving for last the cherry on the cake, if I may say, which is our initiative that is called Digitalization for Circular Economy, where we have the honor of joining hands with ITU, but also with a number of other partners such as UNIDO, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Metabolic Institute, the Pertal Institute, and this is very much the context within which we are exchanging with partners, with countries across different regions to understand how a global framework that could be at the foundation of the digital product passport could look like. So definitely the opportunities of joining hands with others, with partners and with countries is fundamental for us to take the conversation on digital product passport forward.

Paolo Gemma:
in your country, the benefit of digital passport to help you on the e-waste management?

Yamilka López:
Yes, thank you, Paolo. We recognize at this time that the European Union is talking about these topics, and we understand from the Dominican Republic and also, I may say, for Latin American countries, we really need to understand what really involves the DPP. I think we should have more recognition on this matter to fully comprehend the benefits and challenges of this technology for our countries. Taking into consideration all of this mentioned, it’s important to highlight that currently in the Dominican Republic, we are just building the bases in order to be prepared for an eventual implementation. We are, as you could see, at a very early stage of a very long process, and however, we feel very excited to witness all the positive outcomes that may result from this new instrument that will definitely have a positive impact on our life. This digital passport holds considerable promises for enhancing the e-waste management system in our countries by improving tracking, recycling efficiency, environmental sustainability, that this could play a crucial role in transforming how the country handles its growing e-waste challenge. Thank you.

Paolo Gemma:
Thank you, Yamilka. Now, I’d like to give the last question to Leila from Argentina, our friend from Argentina. If you can just, in short, two minutes, three minutes, how you see, by the conventional culture, the standardization, and therefore relate to waste management and digital passport implementation? How is it important? How might you rule on that?

Leila Devia:
Thank you, Paolo, for this interesting question. I think that from the Basel Convention, and for the Centre in this case, the digital passport is a well-structured collection of a specific product and transmits several data and also provides easy access to digital data, no materials, presence of substances of concern, manuals, guides, data sheets, environmental sustainability data, information for extended use, maintenance, repair, reuse, recycling, product durability, product energy, and resource efficiency, recycling content in product waste. And there is very important for the, in the case of the new amendments, the amendment of plastic waste and the amendment of electric and electronic waste is an opportunity for the identification required for PICC procedure and for product choice. I think that is very useful. I think that is some similar to GHS. And I think that for the transboundary movements also is an opportunity and is crucial for the application of the Basel Convention. Thank you.

Paolo Gemma:
Thank you, Leila. I’m confused with another Latin American lady. And okay, we are arriving at the end of our session. We have just three minutes that I can use from the closing remark and of this interesting session, but unlikely we need to close, we can spoke about this for a long time to know more about the experience of different parts of the world on this.

Introduction:
Paolo?

Paolo Gemma:
Yes?

Introduction:
Sorry, maybe we can have one question from the audience if there is any question.

Paolo Gemma:
Yes, if there is someone that want to ask something, please. Please. Yes. Yes.

Audience:
My name is Margaret. I’m from Canada. And I’m wondering if the passport is, how much, is it a law, is it been regulated, who does it apply to, is it in use, and how is it working? So the question is who is applying the passport right now or who will be developing the passport? No. Well, it exists, right? Or is it just an idea, the passport? Or is it a thing?

Paolo Gemma:
Okay, I try to answer from different point of view aspect. If I look on European, in Europe, it’s become part of European legislation. It is now in regulation for battery, but any battery will have a digital passport with some information that is established in 2027. So it’s something that is coming in any case. As Europe is starting to standardize in some European standardization body, what we can call the structure of a digital passport. I will be the code, like a QR code. I will be the interoperability between different system, the security aspect, because in any case, it will be security aspect. So just to build the framework of a digital passport, because in European idea, you will have a digital passport for all product, not only CT. From textile, to steel, to any type of product. If I look on what we make as ITU, we publish a standard that describe which are the opportunity of digital passport. It is what we talked on some point here on the discussion that we have. And now we are writing another standard that we hope to consent, finalize, or approve as you want to, which term you want to use in June, in our next meeting that establish more in detail which information need to be put in the digital passport for sustainability point of view. The idea of digital passport is to have a lot of information inside. Someone has sustainability like the ACA, the result of a product, some information about that, the material that are inside, the energy consumption of a product, how to recycle information maybe inside, or where to find information, how to dismantle a product. So the idea is to have a product that give information to the user, I speak about European view, to the user to be more select better what they want to buy, because they have a clear identification of how much consumed during their life this product. Sometimes someone speak also to have an idea about an estimation of the life of a product, if it’s possible, depending on the type of product. And for recycling, recycler people to have information, okay, this product is made in steel, okay, how much steel I have, where is the steel, how I can dismantle this PC, and how can I recycle. This is one part. The second part is that the digital passport is seen as something that is a part that is static, if you want, and some part that is dynamic, in the sense that it needs to contain the information about the repairing of the object. In the sense that the company that repairs my smartphone will put in some part of the digital passport what it changed inside. And also if you think to go in a market that you take out the product, and then it will be in some way reworking to create a new product, also this information will be in the digital passport as a new product.

Audience:
So somehow a product, going through its life cycle, will feed into the circular economy somehow, and be reused or recycled?

Paolo Gemma:
So, can you repeat a little?

Audience:
So you’ve got this passport, it’s got all this information on it, about the product, and so you can, if you look at that, if somebody looks at it, they could tell if it could be reused, so how does that part work? Is it working? Does it exist yet, that link? So it’s really at the very early stages of development, the digital product passport. And for the product for which it actually exists in a format, it’s electric vehicle batteries. These have already, let’s say, a passport associated with them that explains what’s the content, what are the minerals, how they are placed, how can one refurbish or disassemble different parts so that you don’t need to throw things away at the end of the use of the battery, you can bring it back. For other products, as for ICT products, we are at baby stages, if I may say, in the sense that it’s a conversation that is starting on what could be the useful details that should be captured in that digital passport that will enable then the recycler or the manufacturer or the consumer to have better information to use this product and to keep the resources that are part of the product either for the same use or for another use in the economy. But for everything except the electric vehicle batteries, we are still building that passport. So it’s not out there as something that is already fully framed. Okay. Thank you. Denise? Hi. Thanks. Mavis Johnson, colleague from the Bahamas, the regulator. And so a follow-up question, and you answered a bit of what I was going to ask, but for more clarity, so is this a deliverable of the study group five, the digital product passport for e-waste? Or is it another entity’s proposal? Because I know you said you’re still working on it. As a study group five, we are working on to say, okay, which information will be put inside of a digital passport. So the digital passport idea…

Paolo Gemma:
As ITU, we cannot standardize a digital passport because it’s not our work. It’s a little biggest environment to digitalize a passport. Because in any case, the idea is that the digital passport has structure. How can you use a digital passport? It will be the same for any type of product. We work in ICT. We can say that for ICT, it should be nice. It should be good to have this type of information. How will it work with a digital passport? If I speak about European, it’s part of the legislation.

Audience:
Or manufacturers probably?

Paolo Gemma:
It’s an obligation to manufacturers to put a digital passport for their battery.

Audience:
So I take it from the study group standpoint and interested organization, you’re pushing, you’re promoting the idea of the adoption of a digital passport to be used for electronic products, the way you use it for other types of…

Paolo Gemma:
Yes, because we see as a study group, as ITU, we see the benefit of that, as you saw before, especially for recycling, to improve the recycling, to improve the circular economy. So we see the benefit of this. And we think that it’s necessary to have an international agreement on how will be the digital passport. We cannot have a digital passport in Europe or one in Africa or another in the Dominican Republic. It would be unrealistic for industry and also for government, for administration, because they cannot think to have a different digital passport depending on the country.

Audience:
So how are we creating the awareness? How are we getting… What are we doing to get countries, member states, to buy in to this concept? Because this is the first time I’m hearing about the digital passport. I’m quite interested in e-waste. I do have it as a line item in a portfolio, but haven’t done much with it. And so it’d be interesting to see where we plug in or what we can do to either move our administrations, to adopt something, to…

Elisa Tonda:
So this speaks to what I call the cherry on the cake, which is the collaboration that we are having and that is rolling out a number of workshops in different regions just to familiarize with the idea of the digital product passport, what may be inside, how it should be tailored in such a way that it makes sense for different regions, for different countries, for different supply chains. And this is precisely something that is happening now as we speak. There was one workshop, but there will be many more happening. And definitely what I can suggest is that we are maybe just sending to the participants in this session information on how the initiative is going to roll out, because I’m not going to venture to tell you dates and locations of workshop because I will surely get them wrong.

Audience:
That will be wonderful.

Elisa Tonda:
Thank you.

Yamilka López:
Sorry, before you close, Pablo, and also just to answer, this collaboration is key, and also that’s why, for example, from the standard development, also countries can participate in the standard development, and that’s why we are urging that it’s not just countries from the European region that participate, but also countries from Latin America, from the Americas, from the Caribbean, from Africa, Asian, the Pacific, that participate in this discussion, because when we are setting the standards, we need to hear your views. We need to see what are the description that you think should be there, what is regarding your regulation, et cetera. So this is also a call to action for countries to participate in this international platform, for example, ITU or One Planet Network or the Basel Convention, that are platforms that will allow this to hear your views. Sorry, because the next session will close, so I’ll let you close, Pablo.

Paolo Gemma:
Yes, I will close very shortly, and I thank all people here to stay in this interesting discussion that I see. As I said before, we can speak for a lot of time on this, and thank you very much for your participation, and I hope that we continue to see you in some of our organization to contribute to the establishment of this digital portal platform. Thank you very much for your attention.