The world’s first blockchain-based environmental protection platform, called EPR Digital Environmental Innovation Platform, was launched in Shenzhen, as reported by Sznews.com on February 6. The EPR Digital Environmental Innovation Platform is a dual chain, combining the blockchain technology and environmental protection. This platform aims to achieve the integration of the entire environmental protection industrial chain and conduct low-carbon actions against global warming. The blockchain can guarantee the transparency and traceability of environmental protection data. After related data, such as environment monitoring, green finance, waste recycling, and organic food traceability, are stored on blockchain, these transactions and records will not lose or be modified.

The history of extended producer responsibility (EPR) can be traced back to 1975. The Swedish government first proposed the Waste Recycling and Management Proposal in 1975. In 1988, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published the EPR Framework Report, defined as an environmental policy. It aimed to transfer responsibilities to the upstream of producers and encourage producers to take environmental factors into consideration when making products.

With the rapid development of the economy and society, the responsibilities of EPR are constantly enriched. At the beginning, producers were required to use renewable materials as much as possible during production to reduce environmental pollution. Now, the responsibility involves the construction of a recycling system. Producers not only need to develop related technologies, but also to disclose product information to the society.

Sources:

https://www.sznews.com/news/content/2021-02/06/content_23956444.htm

https://weibo.com/ttarticle/x/m/show/id/2309404583874561704246?_wb_client_=1