Deliverable 7.5: Integrated Results And Testing Overview and Benchmarking Scenario Results

This project has received funding from the European Union’s H2020 Programme under Grant Agreement No. 958448 WP 7 Pilot Use Case Planning, Implementation and Results Tasks 7.5 Results and Testing Benchmarking Deliverable 7.5 Integrated Results And Testing Overview and Benchmarking Scenario Results Ref. Ares(2025)4258373 - 27/05/2025 2 DISCLAIMER The opinion stated in this report reflects the opinion of the authors and not the opinion of the European Commission. All intellectual property rights are owned by CircThread consortium members and are protected by the applicable laws. Reproduction is not authorised without prior written agreement. The commercial use of any information contained in this document may require a license from the owner of that information. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº 958448. 3 Project Data Project Acronym CircThread Project Title Building the Digital Thread for Circular Economy Product, Resource & Service Management Grant Agreement no 958448 Call identifier H2020-LCCI-2020-EASME-twostage Topic identifier CE-SC5-31-2020 Develop, implement, and assess a circular economy-oriented product information management system for complex products from cradle to cradle Funding Scheme IA - Innovation action Project duration 48 months (From 1 June 2021) Coordinator FUNDACION CARTIF Website https://www.circthread.com Deliverable Document Sheet Deliverable No. 7.5 Deliverable title Integrated Results And Testing Overview And Benchmarking Scenario Results Description Linked to T7.5. Provides the Integrated results and testing overview and benchmarking scenario results for the CircThread projects including as outcomes: an overview of the integration steps for all the pilots quantitative results with the qualitative feedbacks from D7.4 based on the testing benchmark KPIs from D7.1, the results shown per use case for each pilot as results, and a summary of the consolidated visual information sheets for each pilot test covering the circular, environmental, social and economic performance providing an evidence base for the project, and a synthesis of the results with conclusions and recommendations for CircThread deployment. The synthesis of conclusions will include an evaluation with findings with initial recommendations on policy issues for a Circular Economy in Europe and is marked as contributing to policy issues/recommendations. WP No. 7 Related task T7.4 - Pilot (Cluster 1 - Italy) Testing Implementation T7.5 – Results and Testing Benchmarking Lead Beneficiary 2-EKOD Author(s) EKOD Contributor(s) CARTIF, ERION, SIMAVI Type Report Dissemination L. Public Language English – GB Due Date 30/05/2025 Submission Date 27/05/2025 4 Version Action Owner Date V0 Table of Content Ekodenge 04/1/2025 V1 First draft of version 1 with as baseline for all pilot activities Ekodenge 04/11/2025 V1.1 Finalised version 1 Ekodenge 04/21/2025 V2 First draft of version 2 which includes data visualisations. Ekodenge 04/25/2025 V2.1 Finalised version 2 Ekodenge 05/2/2025 V3 Inputs from Spanish Pilot Cartif 05/12/2025 V3.1 Inputs from Slovenian Pilot Simavi 05/13/2025 V3.2 Inputs from Italian Pilot Erion 05/20/2025 V4 Consolidation of all inputs Ekodenge 05/22/2025 V5 Review EcoWise 05/23/2025 V6 Finalisation according to the feedback from review Ekodenge 05/26/2025 5 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CircThread seeks to make appliances like boilers and washing machines sustainable. To achieve this, we want to swiftly increase appliance lifespan, repairability and reuse. And ensure that products are properly recycled when they are no longer repairable. We are working on this challenge with more than 30 organisations, thanks to grant funding from the European Union under the H2020 programme. To solve this challenge, we will put in the hands of all actors a software platform for sharing critical information about appliances and devices. Information shared between product designers, manufacturers, retailers, citizens, repairers, and recyclers. Radically improving our ability to make better lifespan improvement, reuse and recycling decisions. Helping you and others with circularity decision making at all stages of a product’s life cycle. This deliverable, D7.5, Integrated Results and Testing Overview and Benchmarking Scenario Results, provides a synthesis of the 7 pilots carried out in CircThread in Spain, Italy and Slovenia, to share product data across the life cycle and utilise it to unlock product Circular Economy improvements. The outcomes of the pilots are captured in this deliverable in a benchmark style manner, so as to provide for a comprehensive and communicable overview. Outcomes described in the deliverable include: • An overview of the pilots’ quantitative results with the qualitative feedbacks from Deliverable 7.4, following the benchmark KPIs as outlined in Deliverable 7.1. • Results shown for each of the 7 use cases for each pilot as results. • A summary using visual information for each pilot test covering the circular, environmental, social and economic performance providing an evidence base for the project. • A synthesis of the results with conclusions and recommendations for CircThread wider deployment. The report includes an evaluation with findings with recommendations for circular economy enhancements in terms of policies at the European level. 6 Contents 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................ 5 2 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 9 3 PILOTS SUMMARY .................................................................................................. 11 3.1 Spanish Pilot ................................................................................................................ 11 3.1.1 Organisations Roles .............................................................................................. 11 3.1.2 Activities Description ........................................................................................... 11 3.1.3 Tested Use Cases .................................................................................................. 11 3.1.4 Main Services and Tools Tested During the Pilot .......................................... 12 3.1.5 Pilot Outputs per Use Cases ............................................................................... 13 3.1.6 Key Achievements ................................................................................................ 19 3.1.7 Lessons Learned & Recommendations ............................................................. 20 3.2 Italian Pilot ................................................................................................................... 21 3.2.1 Organisations Roles .............................................................................................. 21 3.2.2 Activities Description ........................................................................................... 21 3.2.3 Tested Use Cases .................................................................................................. 21 3.2.4 Main Services and Tools Tested During the Pilot .......................................... 22 3.2.5 Pilot Outputs per Use Cases ............................................................................... 26 3.2.6 Key Achievements ................................................................................................ 30 3.2.7 Lessons Learned & Recommendations ............................................................. 30 3.3 Slovenian Pilot ............................................................................................................. 31 3.3.1 Organisations Roles .............................................................................................. 31 3.3.2 Activities Description ........................................................................................... 31 3.3.3 Tested Use Cases .................................................................................................. 31 3.3.4 Main Services and Tools Tested During the Pilot .......................................... 32 3.3.5 Pilot Outputs per Use Cases ............................................................................... 44 3.3.6 Key Achievements ................................................................................................ 46 3.3.7 Lessons Learned & Recommendations ............................................................. 47 4 BENCHMARKING RESULTS .................................................................................. 48 4.1 Use Case 1 .................................................................................................................... 48 4.2 Use Case 3 .................................................................................................................... 48 4.3 Use Case 4 .................................................................................................................... 49 4.4 Use Case 6 .................................................................................................................... 49 4.5 Use Case 7 .................................................................................................................... 50 5 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................... 51 7 List of Figures: Figure 1: Spanish Pilot Use Case 1 Results. ....................................................................................................... 14 Figure 2: Spanish Pilot Use Case 2 Results. ....................................................................................................... 14 Figure 3: Spanish Pilot Use Case 3 Results. ....................................................................................................... 15 Figure 4: Spanish Pilot Use Case 5 Results. ....................................................................................................... 15 Figure 5: Spanish Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 1. ................................................................................................ 16 Figure 6: Spanish Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 2. ................................................................................................ 16 Figure 7: Spanish Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 3. ................................................................................................ 17 Figure 8: Spanish Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 4. ................................................................................................ 17 Figure 9: Spanish Pilot Use Case 7 Results. ....................................................................................................... 18 Figure 10: Item Level DPP Landing Page. .......................................................................................................... 22 Figure 11: Item Level DPP - Product Journey. .................................................................................................. 23 Figure 12: User Surveys through DPP. ................................................................................................................ 23 Figure 13: User Survey Example. ......................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 14: Repair Simulation. ............................................................................................................................... 25 Figure 15: Italian Pilot Use Case 1 Results. ....................................................................................................... 26 Figure 16: Italian Pilot Use Case 4 Result. ......................................................................................................... 27 Figure 17: Italian Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 1. ................................................................................................ 27 Figure 18: Italian Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 2. ................................................................................................ 28 Figure 19: Italian Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 3. ................................................................................................ 28 Figure 20: Italian Pilot Use Case 7 Results -1. .................................................................................................. 29 Figure 21: Italian Pilot Use Case 7 Results – 2. ................................................................................................ 29 Figure 22: Italian Pilot Use Case 7 Results – 3. ................................................................................................ 30 Figure 23: Creation of data resource – 1. .......................................................................................................... 33 Figure 24: Creation of data resource – 2. .......................................................................................................... 33 Figure 25: Uploading document process. ........................................................................................................... 34 Figure 26: Visualizing the Dataspace documents. ............................................................................................ 34 Figure 27: Slovenian organisations. ..................................................................................................................... 35 Figure 28: Slovenian services. ............................................................................................................................... 35 Figure 29: Pilot Main Dashboard. ........................................................................................................................ 36 Figure 30: Database of Recommendation Reports from S9. .......................................................................... 39 Figure 31: Different types of Recommendation Reports generated by S9. ................................................. 39 Figure 32: Item Level DPP. .................................................................................................................................... 40 Figure 33: Different information included in the DPP. .................................................................................... 41 Figure 34: Item Level DPP - Product Survey Button. ....................................................................................... 42 Figure 35: Item Level DPPProduct Survey. ..................................................................................................... 43 Figure 36: Decision Recommendation for Survey. ............................................................................................ 43 Figure 37: Slovenian Pilot Use Case 1 Results. ................................................................................................. 44 Figure 38: Italian Pilot Use Case 3 Results. ....................................................................................................... 45 Figure 39: Italian Pilot Use Case 4 Results. ....................................................................................................... 46 Figure 40: Italian Pilot Use Case 6 Results......................................................................................................... 46 8 List of Tables: Table 1: Spanish Pilot Key Achievements. ......................................................................................................... 19 Table 2: S7 Test Points. ......................................................................................................................................... 36 Table 3: S8 Test Points. ......................................................................................................................................... 37 Table 4: Benchmarks for Use Case 1................................................................................................................... 48 Table 5: Benchmarks for Use Case 3................................................................................................................... 48 Table 6: Benchmarks for Use Case 4 ................................................................................................................... 49 Table 7: Benchmarks for Use Case 6 ................................................................................................................... 49 Table 8: Benchmarks for Use Case 7................................................................................................................... 50 9 2 INTRODUCTION Context The CircThread project aims to enable the circular lifecycle management of complex products by establishing a central digital infrastructure – the CircThread Platform – and integrating interoperable third-party software services. To validate its technical and practical feasibility, three pilot activities were conducted in Italy, Slovenia, and Spain, focusing on real-life implementations involving different product categories and value chains, of both the platform and associated digital services and circularity implementation efforts. In Italy, the pilot focused on BSH-branded dishwashers; in Slovenia, Gorenje washing machines were used; and in Spain, photovoltaic glass from Onyx Solar, domestic boilers from Domusa, and batteries from Cegasa served as the basis for testing. These pilots provided a diverse testing ground to assess how digital infrastructures and services can support circular economy practices across sectors. Across all pilots, the core objective was to demonstrate how a combination of the CircThread Platform and interoperable third-party services can enable the secure exchange and utilization of lifecycle data among manufacturers, users, repairers, recyclers, and other circular economy stakeholders. This includes the deployment of digital product passports (DPPs) as well as services focused on life cycle assessment, circular design, legacy product data recovery, damaged product recommendations, and end-of-use collection planning. The results contained in this report highlight the pilot implementation processes and key outcomes, contributing to the overall assessment of the CircThread ecosystem’s readiness to support circular economy transitions in diverse industrial contexts. Audience The primary audience for this report is the CircThread consortium partners, with the objective of providing a detailed understanding of the service outcomes and testing results, as part of the piloting and benchmarking efforts conducted under Work Package 7, Task 7.5. The content supports internal evaluation, mutual learning across pilots, and contributes to project-wide validation and improvement loops. The secondary audience is the European Research Executive Agency (REA), which oversees the progress and quality of project deliverables. This report serves as evidence of the efforts made in the implementation and evaluation activities foreseen for WP7, particularly in validating service functionality, technical performance, and user uptake. This report also addresses an external audience composed of key actors in the product lifecycle and economic operators—including manufacturers, collectors, recyclers, refurbishers, and repair service providers. The findings offer these stakeholders insight into how the tested services can support their operational workflows. 16 The KPIs collected for Use Case 6 include: • % identified critical and strategic RM: % of identified Critical and Strategic Raw Materials (as defined in the CRM list 2024, Annex II by the EC); the given % is estimated as CRM weight regarding the total product weight. • Characterisation of the material composition of EOL appliances: % of the unknown composition of and EoL appliance (e.g. as % weight unknown materials compared to the total). • % of rejected material: the amount of material that cannot be recovered/upgraded/reprocessed and thus discarded. • Hazardous substances of concern identified: Number of substances of concern identified in the EOU/EOL processing stage. Figure 5: Spanish Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 1. Figure 6: Spanish Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 2. 17 Figure 7: Spanish Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 3. Figure 8: Spanish Pilot Use Case 6 Results – 4. 18 3.1.5.6 Use Case 7 The KPIs collected for Use Case 7 include: • Number of consumers with access to the DPP: Number of consumers that have access to detailed product information through the DPP. • Number of user suggestion for feedback: Number of comments about the product provided by the users through the platform. • Consumer satisfaction: Measured through consumer satisfaction questionnaires • Consumers ability to complete the task: Percentage of users able to complete every use case task. Figure 9: Spanish Pilot Use Case 7 Results. 19 3.1.6 Key Achievements The table below provides an overview of the main achievements for the Spanish pilot. Table 1: Spanish Pilot Key Achievements. Use Case Main result Key outcomes UC1 Successful deployment of DPPs for three product types: buildingintegrated photovoltaics, biomass boilers, and lithium-ion batteries. The traceability infrastructure in place to simulate different lifecycle events. ⇒ DPPs generated and linked to QR codes for all pilot products. ⇒ Real-time access and updated lifecycle data through the DPPs and Product Journey. ⇒ Data Space has been tested to evaluate exchange of sensitive documents (e.g. disassembly manuals) using secure credentials and contract-based policies. UC2 The Spanish pilot led the implementation of services related to Bill of Materials (BoM) and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA), integrating tools from SISTRADE and SUPSI. ⇒ Successful testing of the SISTRADE BOM Manager service with ONYX and CEGASA. ⇒ Validation of GRETA (Sustainability Advisory Service) performing the LCSA of an ONYX BIPV panel. ⇒ Integration of LCA, LCC, and S-LCA methodologies using real and simulated datasets. UC3 REYDESA led the disassembly and component recovery activities for boilers, solar panels, and batteries. Characterisation results fed the recyclability evaluations and resulted in the creation of disassembly manuals. ⇒ Custom dismantling protocols developed and translated for safe recovery of components with reuse or CRM value. ⇒ Time and effort recorded to estimate the feasibility of component recovery. ⇒ Evaluation of CRM recovery potential. UC4 In-depth disassembly and material characterisation studies were conducted, coupled with component reusability evaluation. ⇒ Quantitative recyclability potential calculated for all three products. ⇒ Pilot-level feedback on the application of S8 service and TRACID tools. UC5 Testing of repair simulation events recorded in the DPP. ⇒ SARETEKNIKA performed a repair simulation on a boiler, updating the product journey in the DPP. ⇒ Batch update of repair events for 44 units to validate process scalability. UC6 Component-level data regarding hazardous and critical materials was compiled and analysed to provide recommendations. ⇒ Collection and testing of product parts potentially containing REACH substances. ⇒ Review and classification of components with CRM content (Cu, Li…). ⇒ Positive evaluation of S8 service interface usability for future integration in recycling workflows. UC7 Tests with the support of both inperson and remote consumers involving 31 users, validating scenarios such as DPP navigation, repair tracking, and data transparency. ⇒ High satisfaction scores in most DPP scenarios tested (average >4/5 stars). ⇒ Detailed user feedback on accessibility, visual design, and desired content features. ⇒ Evidence that over 60% of participants find the DPP very useful, especially for appliances and second-hand goods. 20 Use Case Main result Key outcomes ⇒ Positive response to potential DPP applications for other product categories. UC1 – UC7 Feasibility of integrating multiple services through the CircThread platform with validated identity management, API authentication, and backend orchestration mechanisms ⇒ Deployment of standardised endpoints to enable data flows between DPPs, BOM tools, and circularity-related services. ⇒ Functional demonstration of UI-linked integration for user roles including manufacturers, recyclers, and repairers. ⇒ Validation of a modular platform architecture enabling interoperable service use 3.1.7 Lessons Learned & Recommendations The Spanish pilot proved to be a relevant environment for the tests around the CircThread platform, the services and the DPP concept. The pilot activities revealed the need for a swift towards a collaborative economy, as this type of systems requires continuous coordination and communication among stakeholders. Main recommendations for future work include: - Ensure early stakeholder alignment by involving all relevant partners (manufacturers, recyclers, repairers, and digital and technology service providers). This is key to ensure smooth data sharing and effective information exchange. - Adopt sandbox testing environments to allow pilot partners to trial digital services in a low risk setting. - Allow time for onboarding and training, particularly for services requiring user interaction. - Use a modular and interoperable service architecture. - Choose user-friendly interface designs, especially in consumer-oriented applications, and incorporate feedback from real users. - Raise awareness and engagement among consumers about the value of the DPP, including its usefulness for repair, reuse, and warranty verification. - Standardise data formats and lifecycle events for interoperability across platforms and actors. - Improve traceability protocols by testing a wider range of product events and increasing QR code durability for real-world use conditions – longer testing periods. - Promote cross-sector cooperation by looking for shared use cases for replication purposes. 21 3.2 Italian Pilot 3.2.1 Organisations Roles In the Italian Pilot, 7 organisations are involved in the pilot studies. These include: • Erion: Pilot Leader. • BSH: Manufacturer. • Mediaworld: Retailer. • AMSA: Collector. • Ri-Generation: Repairer. • AltroConsumo: Consumer Organisation. • LaboRAEE: Treatment plant. 3.2.2 Activities Description The Italian pilot began with the activities around UC7 focusing on consumer involvement for a circular economy, as this UC has been flagged as the critical bottleneck in the pilot. The main actions have been related to the consumers’ involvement by AltroConsumo who identified 27 families in the Lombardy region looking for replacing their used dishwasher. The pilot studies started with the 4 BSH dishwasher product models, and 27 individual dishwashers that were sent to consumers supplied by BSH. Each actor in the pilot had an access to Digital Product Passports of those 27 individual items to update the product status, providing feedbacks to economic operator (BSH), and upload documents to get detailed information about the product. 3.2.3 Tested Use Cases • UC1: Digital Product Identification & Traceability o BSH worked on the activities around registering the product, setting the DPP and the metadata catalogue with all the associated information sets, while lifecycle actors like AMSA, Ri-Generation focused on updating the status of the product via DPP. • UC4: End-of-use Decisions for Reuse and Recycling o ERION utilised the information from Tracid DPP platform for end-of-use recommendations including integration of new end-of life management options. o Altroconsumo identified and engaged the families that will take part to the pilot buying a new appliance and providing ERION with end-of-first-life products for physical-digital linkages testing in a real-life setting. • UC6: Product Critical Raw Materials & Chemicals Information o BSH will provide chemicals compound information and will utilise CircThread to assess REACH/RoHS chemicals compliance. LaboRAEE, RiGeneration and ERION will collaborate to provide information for the sorted components and utilise CircThread to evaluate the materials and chemicals composition for regulatory end-of-use management compliance, as well as informing the downstream recycling operators. 22 • UC7: Consumer Purchasing and Usage Information Management o For this use case, the information was collected by consumers by providing the 27 families with DPPs accessible via a QR-code on their dishwasher, and organising several workshops to tests the use of the DPPs, including a product survey module in Digital Product Passport and external surveys. 3.2.4 Main Services and Tools Tested During the Pilot In order to carry out the planned activities of the Italian pilot, 4 test DPPs were developed (one for each of the 4 BSH dishwasher models involved in the pilot). Figure 10: Item Level DPP Landing Page. This DPP test was developed specifically for consumers who bought a new dishwasher and was the focus of the activities carried out by Altroconsumo as part of the pilot. In one of the activities, Altroconsumo asked consumers to test some of the features of the DPP, including the ability to change the language of the page from English to Italian. They were then asked to navigate the page and explore the services. Consumers were asked to open the “Informazioni sul prodotto” (“Product Information”) tab, where various information about the dishwasher model they owned was available, such as energy and water consumption per programme, noise class, etc. In the ‘Documents’ section, a number of documents about the dishwasher were available, such as the instruction manual, energy label, safety measures, which could be downloaded and consulted by consumers. Another service developed and available to consumers was the “Visualizza il percorso del prodotto” (“View product route”) tab, where it was possible to view the route taken by the dishwasher on a map (for the time being only the production site). 23 Figure 11: Item Level DPP - Product Journey. The third and fourth activities involving consumers consisted of two questionnaires which were implemented directly on the DPP and both available in the “Sondaggi sul prodotto” (“Product Surveys”) section. Figure 12: User Surveys through DPP. The third activity focused on the User Survey, whose questions have been developed collaboratively by Altroconsumo, BSH, and Erion. The survey aimed to gather consumer insights, enabling the manufacturer to collect usage statistics in order to enhance the product. It included questions on topics such as the most frequently used programs, noise levels during operation, malfunctions, and the most and least useful features. 24 Figure 13: User Survey Example. The fourth activity, called "Repair Simulation," was developed by Altroconsumo in collaboration with the technical team at EKODENGE. The objective of the activity was to introduce consumers to potential new functionalities in future DPPs, which are still in the early stages of development. These features will guide users on the steps to take in case of a malfunction or breakdown. Before the activity could be launched, three key additions to the DPP had to be completed: a. Creation of a second survey within the "Survey Module" developed in the third activity, focusing on issues related to appliance malfunctions. b. Inclusion of a "repair event" in the Product Journey Map. c. Uploading a list of authorized repair centres in the Lombardy region, provided by BSH, to the Documents section of the DPP. Once these updates were in place, the Repair Simulation activity was launched, consisting of the following steps: 1. Repair Survey Completion 25 Consumers were asked to complete the new Repair Survey, simulating an appliance breakdown. The survey included a few initial diagnostic questions to help identify common issues and rule out minor errors. 2. Guided Troubleshooting Participants were then directed to the "Problem Resolutions" webpage on the Bosch website. By entering their dishwasher’s model number, they could access troubleshooting tips for various issues. 3. Locating an Authorized Repairer Consumers were instructed to consult the list of authorized repair centres uploaded to the Documents section of the DPP and identify the closest repair service. 4. Exploring the Product Journey Map Finally, participants were encouraged to review the Product Journey Map, where a repair event had been added, helping them understand how repair actions fit into their appliance's lifecycle. Figure 14: Repair Simulation. 32 • UC3: Spare Parts Recovery for Repair o In this UC, the main action was to preparing required spare parts and the quality criteria by Gorenje and use the Damaged Product Circularity Assessment service and the Legacy Product service to provide access to simplified BoMs. • UC4: End-of-use Decisions for Reuse and Recycling o For this use case, the survey was created to detect product status at collection stage. Also, ZEOS has prepared a decision logic for the survey to enable collectors at site to get recommendation for the best route for circularity. • UC6: Product Critical Raw Materials & Chemicals Information o In this UC, the main responsibilities of GORENJE include preparing and sharing the CRM, REACH and RoHS documentation, paying special attention to the components with special treatment needs. Based on these documents, ZEOS and Surovina managed EoU and EoL products to improve the efficiency of the recovery of products with high CRM content and the safety of the EoL operations. 3.3.4 Main Services and Tools Tested During the Pilot During the pilot testing phase, partners tested the main services and tools involved in the Slovenian pilot. These are: • S8 Legacy Product Data Identification service. • S9 Damage Product Circularity Assessment service. • S7 Nirwave Detection advances. • S5 Dataspace. • S13 End of use collection recommendation service. • Digital Product Passport. • CircThread Platform. • Pilot Main Dashboard. Each of these tools and the tests performed will be described in the following subchapters. A) S5, PLATFORM, DASHBOARD 3.3.4.1 S5 Dataspace testing After the services development was completed, the SIMAVI team discussed the integration of the S5 Dataspace tool into the Slovenian pilot with the INESCTEC team. Dataspace was installed and configured for the Slovenian environment using the instructions received. CircThread Dataspace is the main data sharing/consumption tool in a virtual environment. 33 Documents are published by a company with the definition of a data usage policy, and then, entities with permission to find these documents will be able to access them, in the form of a contract that is agreed upon between the two parties. The following images present some tests performed for uploading documents using Dataspace. Figure 23: Creation of data resource – 1. Figure 24: Creation of data resource – 2. 34 Figure 25: Uploading document process. Figure 26: Visualizing the Dataspace documents. 3.3.4.2 CircThread Platform testing The SIMAVI team installed the CircThread platform in the Slovenian pilot virtual machine using the instructions received from the EKODENGE team. The platform offers the possibilities to add organizations and users, to manage services and user roles, and to add product models. When starting the platform, the backend components generate 26 roles that are saved within the Keycloak service. Some of these are: CT_ADMIN, CT_MANUFACTURER, CT_REPAIRER, CT_COLLECTOR, CT_PROVIDER, CT_RECYCLER and so on. Depending on the role, the user has different rights. The following tests were performed from the admin point of view. Using the admin account, the Slovenian pilot organisations were added to the platform, as shown in the figure below. 35 Figure 27: Slovenian organisations. Figure 28: Slovenian services. 3.3.4.3 Pilot General Dashboard testing The Main Pilot Dashboard is a web platform developed to assist the Slovenian pilot. It serves as a central hub for accessing various tools of the project. It provides links and redirects for easy navigation and use of various resources available in the CircThread project ecosystem. This functionality allows access to project information, tools, 36 applications, and other relevant materials for Slovenian users. The following image illustrates the main page of the Pilot Dashboard. Figure 29: Pilot Main Dashboard. B) TESTS ON S8&S7 3.3.4.4 Legacy Products Data Identification service (S8) and NIRwave Detection advances (S7) testing The Legacy Products Data Identification (S8) is a service developed by SIMAVI within the CircThread project. It was designed for recyclers and collectors to facilitate the process of dismantling legacy products at the end of their life, without information from the original manufacturer. It allows for the progressive accumulation of product information, starting from basic product details and extending to components and material compositions, including essential information on hazardous substances and critical materials. The output is a comprehensive Bill of Materials file that contains all the data of the appliance. During the pilot testing phase, the Slovenian partners performed service tests in real scenarios. These processes and their results are described in the following paragraphs. The tests performed on service S7 NIRwave are listed in the following table: Table 2: S7 Test Points. Test number Test category Description Test Result 01 S7 System Administration Add new user. Check whether it is possible to add a new user via NIRwave backend administration portal. PASS 02 S7 System Administration Remove user. Check whether it is possible to remove a user via NIRwave backend administration portal. PASS 03 S7 System Administration Remote administration. Check whether it is possible to monitor the operation of NIRwave device remotely. PASS 04 S7 System Administration Remote administration. PASS 37 Test number Test category Description Test Result Check whether it is possible to remotely update the polymer classification neural network. 05 S7 System Administration System availability Check whether the system is available in regime 24/7. PASS 06 S7 NIRwave Performance and Benchmark Polymer scan duration. Check whether the time since the start of polymer scan till the reported result is less than 2 seconds. PASS 07 S7 NIRwave Performance and Benchmark Polymer scan distance. Check whether the polymer scan works at a distance greater than 5 cm. PASS 08 S7 NIRwave Performance and Benchmark Polymer classification accuracy. Check whether the polymer scan operates with accuracy >98%. PASS 09 S7 NIRwave Performance and Benchmark Polymer additives detection. Check whether NIRwave system is capable to detect polymer additives: -Fire retardants -Glass fibre reinforcements PASS 10 S7 NIRwave Connectivity Operation of REST API interface. Check whether NIRwave system can be accessed, monitored, and controlled via REST API interface PASS The integration between the Legacy Products Data Identification service and NIRwave Detection advances was very useful for recyclers to automatically identify the polymer materials of washing machine spare parts. The tests performed on the S8 service are presented in the table below: Table 3: S8 Test Points. Test number Test category Description 01 S8 Required product information Tested whether all the data could be properly entered into the designated fields or selected from the dropdown menus, and whether it could be added to the system without any obstacles. We also tested whether a photo can be uploaded without any issues. 02 S8 Original product information Tested whether all functionalities at this stage operate without interruptions, including the ability to input numerical values and units, as well as the use of both uppercase and lowercase characters. 03 S8 Category selection Tested the functionality of the dropdown menu to ensure that all available options— such as Electric/Electronic Components, Housing, Structure and Main Components, Other – Flexible Components, and Small-Parts Inventory— are displayed and can be selected without difficulty. 04 S8 Add new components Verified that the listed components can be accurately entered into the system, with 38 Test number Test category Description no issues encountered when inputting the component name, component code (if applicable), dimensions, and weight. Additionally, we tested the unit field’s dropdown menu to ensure it operates correctly and provides the appropriate unit options. 05 S8 Component list management Tested the functionality allowing users to mark whether a component is available, as well as the ability to modify or delete data depending on the selected model 06 S8 Properties of the selected component We verified that upon selecting a component, all relevant characteristics— including code, weight, dimensions, and units—are correctly displayed. Furthermore, we tested the "Component Materials" tab to ensure it accurately presents the materials used in the component. We also examined whether materials can be added within this section. 07 S8 Critical Raw Materials or Hazardous Substances We verified whether, upon selecting a component, the system provides relevant data indicating the presence of any Critical Raw Materials or Hazardous Substances. 08 S8 BOM generation During the process, we continuously verified the proper functionality of all navigation controls (Next and Back buttons). At the final stage, we tested whether the entered or selected data was correctly saved and whether a Bill of Materials (BOM) was successfully generated. The testing process revealed a few minor issues along the way—such as units not being recognized when entered in uppercase, difficulties in deleting unnecessary components, and failure to save the BOM. Nevertheless, all problems were resolved efficiently and without complications in close cooperation with the software development team. C) TESTS ON S9 With the development of the Damaged Product Circularity Assessment service (Service 9 - S9), SIMAVI facilitated the evaluation of damaged appliances by enabling data-driven recommendations for reuse, repair, recycling, or disassembly. This solution significantly streamlines the product assessment process, reducing both time and manual effort compared to traditional methods. 39 While S9 is primarily designed to generate recommendations for damaged products, its capabilities were also tested within the pilot scope for appliances with malfunctions. The testing was conducted by Gorenje on products withdrawn from the market due to various issues, such as transport damage or user-related malfunctions. Using the data input into S9 and following a protocol jointly developed by SIMAVI and Gorenje, various Recommendation Reports were successfully generated. Figure 30: Database of Recommendation Reports from S9. The main outcome of testing Damaged Product Circularity Assessment service was to evaluate its ability to provide automated recommendations based on predefined parameters. Figure 31: Different types of Recommendation Reports generated by S9. 40 D) TESTS ON DPP As part of the pilot activities, Gorenje conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the functionalities provided by the newly developed software solution designed for creating a Digital Product Passport and establishing a digital thread throughout the entire product life cycle. This innovative software, named TRAC ID, was developed by the EcoWise team with the goal of enhancing transparency, traceability, and sustainability in product management. During the testing phase, Gorenje assessed how effectively TRAC ID could document and track key product information—from design and manufacturing stages through distribution, usage, servicing, and ultimately end-of-life processing. The software demonstrated its potential to support circular economy objectives by ensuring that critical product data is available and accessible at each stage of the product's life. This digital continuity not only improves product lifecycle management but also enables informed decisions related to repair, reuse, recycling, and regulatory compliance. Figure 32: Item Level DPP. 41 Figure 33: Different information included in the DPP. By participating in this pilot, Gorenje provided valuable feedback on the system’s usability, integration potential, and data structuring, contributing to the refinement and practical alignment of TRAC ID with real-world industry needs. 48 4 BENCHMARKING RESULTS For benchmarking, the overall list of KPIs were identified for each pilots’ use cases. 4.1 Use Case 1 Table 4: Benchmarks for Use Case 1 Data point IT ES SL Units Benchmark Number of product models registered to CT platform 4 3 1 # 2.66 Number of product models registered to DPP provider platform 4 3 10 # 5.66 Model level DPP 4 3 10 # 5.66 Item level DPP 27 44 17 # 29.33 Batch level DPP 0 0 0 # 0 Number of operative QR codes 31 47 27 # 35 Number of facilities identified 2 3 3 # 2.6 4.2 Use Case 3 Table 5: Benchmarks for Use Case 3 Data point ES SL Units Benchmark Number of appliances disassembled 10 10 # 10 Number of appliances disassembled 41 32 # 36.5 Number of spare parts sold to end users 0 32 # 16 49 4.3 Use Case 4 Table 6: Benchmarks for Use Case 4 Data point IT SL Units Benchmark Number of products destined to circular strategies 7 10 # 8.5 4.4 Use Case 6 Table 7: Benchmarks for Use Case 6 Data point IT SL Units Benchmark (number or mass) identified critical and strategic RM Aluminium= 0,2%; Copper= 0,3%; Circuits boards= 0,2% 6 g or % Characterisation of the material composition of EOL appliances Iron=69,57%; ABS=0,64%; PP=6,39%; Engines=4,51%; Aluminium=0,23%; Cables=0,79%; Circuits boards=0,23%; Copper/other=0,3%; Residual waste=17,36% 7 % 50.00 % of rejected material (recyclability-not recoverable) 17.36 70 % 43.68 50 4.5 Use Case 7 Table 8: Benchmarks for Use Case 7 Data point IT ES Units Benchmark Number of consumers with access to the DPP 27 31 # 29 Number of user suggestion for feedback First Activity: 26 Second activity:26 Third activity: 27 Average: 26.5 108 # 67.25 Consumers ability to complete the task First activity: % 100 Second activity: %92 Third activity: (survey module DPP + sustainabile uses for dishwasher): %74.07 Average: 88,69 87 % 87.845 51 5 CONCLUSION The CircThread project has successfully demonstrated the feasibility and potential impact of a digital infrastructure designed to support circular economy strategies through reallife pilot implementations in Spain, Italy, and Slovenia. Each pilot targeted different product types and value chain configurations, testing a variety of use cases including digital product traceability, end-of-use decision-making, spare parts recovery, material composition evaluation, and consumer engagement. Through these pilot activities, the CircThread Platform and its associated interoperable services were validated for their ability to enable seamless lifecycle data exchange among key stakeholders such as manufacturers, recyclers, repairers, and consumers. Notably, the pilots achieved operational integration of Digital Product Passports (DPPs), which served as the backbone for managing and updating product-related information across different lifecycle stages. In particular, the pilots revealed that digital traceability can significantly enhance reuse and recycling decisions, support regulatory compliance for critical raw materials and hazardous substances, and enable feedback loops for product design improvements. Benchmarking data collected from the pilots provided quantitative evidence of platform performance and user interaction. For instance, an average of 29 consumers accessed DPPs, with a high task completion rate (nearly 88%), underscoring the usability and practical relevance of the platform. Similarly, consistent disassembly activities, spare parts recovery, and circular end-of-use strategies were successfully deployed, highlighting the platform’s capacity to generate tangible environmental and economic value. Despite variations in pilot focus and local implementation conditions, the cross-country findings demonstrate a strong foundation for scaling the CircThread ecosystem. However, the project also revealed areas for further development, including the need for broader stakeholder engagement, refined user experience across services, and policy alignment to support widespread adoption.