Recycling old concrete sounds simple. But before a slab can be reused, how do we know where it came from, what it contains or how it was produced?

This is where a secure Digital Product Passport can help. By embedding a small RFID tag into the concrete, each slab receives a unique digital identity. The tags can then be scanned to retrieve key information about the slab, supporting its identification and traceability throughout its lifecycle.

In April 2026, CIRCUIT partners from IECA and Infra Plan tested this solution under real industrial conditions at the Beton Lučko precast concrete factory in Zagreb, Croatia. A full-scale reinforced concrete slab measuring approximately 4 × 2.1 × 0.22 metres was produced for future installation in the Slovenian demonstration bridge. IECA supplied the RFID tags and reader, Infra Plan coordinated the trial, and Beton Lučko manufactured the slab. 

Different methods were tested. Some RFID tags were attached directly to the steel reinforcement, while others were added to the concrete during mixing. This allowed the partners to assess how the tags behave during industrial production and whether they remain readable once the concrete has been poured and cured. 

Readings were carried out during the production process and again after 7, 14 and 29 days of curing. The trial validated the solution under real industrial conditions and demonstrated how RFID technology can be integrated into full-scale precast concrete components. 

In the future, this approach could make concrete slabs easier to identify, track, reuse and recycle. By improving access to reliable information about construction materials, Digital Product Passports can help the construction sector become more circular and sustainable.