Data Governance and Traceability for Circular Value Chains

Circular value chains rely on information moving with materials, products and assets. The CSSBoost policy analysis identifies gaps in waste-stream visibility and end-of-life information as barriers to identifying useful secondary resources and demonstrating the quality of recovered materials.

The vehicle case illustrates the issue: information about a bus leaving the fleet does not necessarily describe which components are extracted, where they go or how they are used. Similar information needs arise in recovered-water, nutrient and polymer pathways, where the receiving actor needs to understand the origin and characteristics of the resource.

The policy synthesis therefore supports interoperable data systems, product or asset passports and better access to shared inventories. It connects traceability with quality verification, industrial symbiosis and the reuse of circular-solution knowledge. For regions with limited data, methodological guidance and practical support for data collection are also relevant. These are project policy recommendations intended to improve the enabling environment for circular solutions; their implementation depends on the responsibilities and arrangements adopted by the relevant authorities and stakeholders.