In this reporting period (months 1 – 18), the work conducted and main results achieved are as follows:
(1). Development of three new circular economy business models (CEBMs): (i) CEBM1 ‘Co-creation of products and services’ includes product design specification with eco-constrains, sustainable production scoping, environmental and social LCA, eco-point method and eco-accounting platform, online LCA and impact assessment tool, consumer and supply chain interaction, and production by integration of sustainable design and manufacturing tools/methods. (ii) CEBM2 ‘collaborative recycling/reuse includes a strategy of reuse and recycling for agri-food sector based on food waste and for Electric and Electronic Equipment such as tablets and LED lamps, method to calculate eco-credits, incentive schemes for reducing/reuse/recycling. (iii) CEBM3 ‘Sustainable consumption’ includes eco-shopping, sustainable consumption awareness and informative campaign, big-data method for online mining consumer views, and consumer satisfaction survey. A tool was developed to boost recycling and reuse with an ICT system by means of intelligent bins, trace ability technique and an ICT platform, and awareness campaigns regarding circular economy principles in schools.
(2). Development of an ICT platform for implementing the CEBMS, and related databases and services provision, access management layer, integration activities with traceability module, recycling module and end-user applications. Provision of support to all the partners on technical aspects and Quality management of the project, a simplified marketplace to be used by the project participants and possibly external stakeholders, and a matchmaking logic into the brokerage system based on the maturity level of the stakeholder in circular business models.
(3). Development of Traceability solutions for implementation of the CEBMs, including EPCIS method for capturing traceability data of eco-impacts in product lifecycle. Design and development of core EPCIS tools, capture services to collect process data into EPCIS events, data models and interfaces between the traceability components as well as with the ICT platform and Improved peer to peer Data Access Model to enable access control to the EPCIS data. Implementation of the developed tools into the CEBMs and validation of the traceability solutions.
(4). To support the development of the CEBMS, in addition to the ITC platform and traceability solutions, a set of living lab activities have been conducted, involving a large number of end-users and stakeholders along product supply chain. The first Innovation Camp was organized with over 80 participants of high-level CE experts.
(5). A plan has been made for demonstration of the CEBMs in industrial sectors of lighting products, vegetable farming and food, meat supply chain and recycling/reuse of tablets. The project outcome has been disseminated and communicated to the public and a wide range of external parties. The exploitation plan has also been developed.
