Hardware Regulation Is Moving Toward Cleaner, Traceable Products in 2026: Here's What You Should Expect

Certifying that hardware is safe and legal may no longer be enough. Europe's regulatory bodies are pushing for manufacturers to prove their products are durable, repairable, recyclable, and traceable across their lifecycle. The shift we will see in 2026 is not the result of one single environmental rule but many across multiple markets, all building towards a more systematic approach to sustainable and green hardware.

Digital Product Passports are coming — starting with batteries

In July 2024, the EU pushed the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), kickstarting a 5-year plan to implement Digital Product Passports (DPP) across the market. These “passports” will act as digital records about the product: what materials it contains, where these materials came from, how to recycle or repair it, and its expected carbon impact. Rather than just a marketing buzzword, “sustainability” will soon have to be proven with traceable product data.

Companies should expect to see changes in prioritized hardware categories very soon, namely batteries. The European Commission plans to launch the first version of the DPP registry in July 2026, where battery product information can be registered, tracked, and checked.

Right-to-repair is expanding

ESPR is not the only component in the EU's roadmap towards a more environmentally conscious regulatory space. In June 2025, EU ecodesign ruled for smartphones and tablets to require spare-parts availability, repair information, and accessible software and firmware for professional repairers to make replacements. These right-to-repair regulations create stronger expectations that products should be repairable rather than disposable.

Packaging is no longer just branding

Beyond what's in the box, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation is also pushing companies to pay more attention to the box itself. This regulation covers all packaging placed on the EU market and pushes requirements around recyclability, recycled plastic content, reuse, waste prevention, clearer labeling, and restrictions on substances such as PFAS in food-contact packaging. Finalized in February 2025, this new regulation must be complied with by August 12, 2026. Companies can no longer treat packaging as just branding. Materials, empty space, recyclability, and labeling will become choke points if companies aren't prepared.

The U.S. is also moving

The EU is proving itself to be the leader in regulatory pushes for greener hardware, but it's not the only market heading in this direction. In the U.S., California's SB 54 is pushing companies to design and produce packaging more responsibly, while the EPA's PFAS reporting rule is forcing manufacturers to check if “forever chemicals” are present in products.

China is building its own green framework

In China, environmental regulation is also becoming more structured. In March 2026, China adopted a national Ecological and Environmental Code, creating a broader legal foundation for green development and environmental enforcement. It consolidated many of the country's environmental rules into one unified framework, covering broad areas like pollution control, ecological protection, low-carbon development, climate response, and legal liability. Companies should expect a regulatory push towards sustainable products and manufacturing in the near future.

The direction is global

Looking ahead, the EU may be leading with ESPR and Digital Product Passports, but the direction is becoming global. Governing and regulatory bodies around the world are looking at systematic pushes for environmental responsibility in the design, manufacturing, and deployment of hardware: sustainability not just as a marketing stamp but as a requirement to ship.