As far back as 2018, the Luxembourg government launched an initiative aimed at standardising the measurement of circularity at the product level and across the value chain, thereby ensuring high-quality material loops for the circular economy. This was particularly important as, until then, industry and consumers/users had faced significant difficulties in accessing reliable data on the circular properties of a product. Against this backdrop, surface technology specialist ZINQ, as a member of the Circularity Stakeholder Group, was involved in the creation of a so-called Product Circularity Data Sheet (PCDS) from the outset. It is now also one of the first users: ZINQ will now provide interested customers (or other relevant stakeholders) with such a PCDS (initially still in English) for its microZINQ, duroZINQ, and colorZINQ products upon request.

„An effective circular economy designed for high-quality, continuous material loops requires the flow not only of resources but also of information. The PCDS is an important component for establishing transparency within supply chains and thus closing material loops,“ is Dr. Thomas Pinger, Innovation and Sustainability Manager at ZINQ, certain. „With the PCDS, the manufacturer of a product provides essential information regarding the circularity of the supplied upstream product to those further down the supply chain. This includes details on ingredients, the proportion of recycled materials, and the ability to repair, dismantle, and recycle.“ The aim of the Product Circularity Data Sheets is to make data available decentrally, so that the use of a centralised database is not required. The general structure of the PCDS system is inspired by the Material Safety Data Sheet system, which contains standardised statements for describing the safe use of chemical products/mixtures.

Specifically, the PCDS is designed to be harmonised with key current circularity tools and platforms. The data collection questionnaire is divided into five sections and includes, among other things, statements on product components, information on reusability and disassembly. The PCDS document also contains definitions of specific terms in accordance with ISO/CEN standards and international/EU regulations. „Within the standardised format, information can also be adapted to customer-specific requirements,“ says Dr. Thomas Pinger. „For example, in the case of a zinc coating, the requested (zinc) abrasion is always dependent on the operating conditions and must be assessed separately for each application or customer. Nevertheless, thanks to PCDS, it will be possible for every manufacturer, even without significant financial and human resources, to create a data template with standardised and trustworthy statements on product circularity.“ Ultimately, it helps users and the manufacturer to make informed decisions and enable future uses in a circular economy. For more details and background, also read „Benefits of Product Passports along the Value Chain for Improving Circular Quality“. Download the whitepaper!

The product passport logic fits into the EU's strategy with the Sustainable Product Initiative (SPI) and can serve as a central steering instrument for achieving the three objectives of the Green Deal (zero carbon, zero waste, and zero pollution). You can find more information on SPI in the presentation document from the managing director of the ZINQ Group, Lars Baumgürtel, as part of the webinar „SPI – Sustainable Product Initiative – political explanations, business perspectives“ by the DIHK and the European umbrella organisation of chambers, EUROCHAMBRES, on 19 January 2022. Download lecture!