Article

Uncovering Industrial Symbiosis

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Abstract

Since 1989, efforts to understand the nature of interfirm resource sharing in the form of industrial symbiosis and to replicate in a deliberate way what was largely self‐organizing in Kalundborg, Denmark have followed many paths, some with much success and some with very little. This article provides a historical view of the motivations and means for pursuing industrial symbiosis—defined to include physical exchanges of materials, energy, water, and by‐products among diversified clusters of firms. It finds that “uncovering” existing symbioses has led to more sustainable industrial development than attempts to design and build eco‐industrial parks incorporating physical exchanges. By examining 15 proposed projects brought to national and international attention by the U.S. President's Council on Sustainable Development beginning in the early 1990s, and contrasting these with another 12 projects observed to share more elements of self‐organization, recommendations are offered to stimulate the identification and uncovering of already existing “kernels” of symbiosis. In addition, policies and practices are suggested to identify early‐stage precursors of potentially larger symbioses that can be nurtured and developed further. The article concludes that environmentally and economically desirable symbiotic exchanges are all around us and now we must shift our gaze to find and foster them.

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... Some studies have shown that material loops can be closed at the local scale, with resource exchange distances of around 2-5 km. Cases can be found in industrial symbiosis literature, where companies located in the same industrial park 19,20 or even the same facility 21 exchange resources such as electricity, heat, and organic waste. These findings are prominent in earlier industrial ecology literature, strengthened by the empirical findings on the Kalundborg Eco-industrial Park in Denmark -a seminal case study of industrial symbiosis 19 . ...
... Cases can be found in industrial symbiosis literature, where companies located in the same industrial park 19,20 or even the same facility 21 exchange resources such as electricity, heat, and organic waste. These findings are prominent in earlier industrial ecology literature, strengthened by the empirical findings on the Kalundborg Eco-industrial Park in Denmark -a seminal case study of industrial symbiosis 19 . ...
... From industrial symbiosis literature, more emphasis is placed on the feasibility of material reuse as a factor affecting the scale of closing material loops 19,23,24 . Materials that are difficult to reuse as a resource tend to travel longer distances, as it is more difficult to find a match between supply and demand close by. ...
Article
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In the European Union, construction is responsible for 36% of CO 2 emissions and 40% energy consumption. The reuse of construction materials has been receiving increasing attention, including regulations established by the European Union, and cities establishing goals to reuse construction materials. This is the case for Amsterdam, which established the goal of reusing 50% of construction materials in new construction by 2030. Part of the challenge of reuse of construction materials in urban areas is to optimize the waste-to-resource loops: finding the optimal scale and location for circular construction hubs—facilities that collect, store, and redistribute construction waste as secondary construction materials. In this paper, we use the supply and demand of timber construction materials in Amsterdam as a case study to find the optimal scale and location for construction hubs. We used the spatial simulated annealing algorithm as an optimization method for balancing the trade-off between small and large-scale hubs, using cost-effectiveness to compare potential locations and identify the optimal solution. We found that the optimal number of hubs for our study area is 29, with an average service radius of 3 km. This study has implications for policymakers, urban planners, and companies seeking to implement circular economy principles.
... In the context of EIP as a whole, some authors compare the behavior of companies interacting with each other to a chemical reaction, where the combination of the reagents gives a product and some residues in the form of waste and emissions. However, for this to happen, the reaction should have some activation energy, be profitable, and release more energy than required for activating the reaction [ 17]. Similarly, the rationale underlying the realization of an EIP is to find companies (reagents) that are highly compatible (reactive with one another) in terms of input and output, and the procedures to realize cooperative strategies that are profitable for the participating companies [ 17]. ...
... However, for this to happen, the reaction should have some activation energy, be profitable, and release more energy than required for activating the reaction [ 17]. Similarly, the rationale underlying the realization of an EIP is to find companies (reagents) that are highly compatible (reactive with one another) in terms of input and output, and the procedures to realize cooperative strategies that are profitable for the participating companies [ 17]. The implementation of EIPs can be the result of planned projects defined at the national level as in the case of China, that has so far developed the largest EIP program [ 18,19]. ...
... The EIPs are then helpful in achieving greater resource efficiency through the realization of 'economies of systems integration' where a central role is played by the adoption of IS. The latter involves the activation of complex interplay of resource exchanges (materials, water, energy, and by-products) within the participating companies to achieve socio-economic and environmental benefits [ 16,17]. 4 The essence of industrial symbiosis is taking full advantage of by-product utilization, while reducing residual products or treating them effectively. The term is usually applied to a network of independent companies that exchange by-products and possibly share other common resources [ 23]. ...
Chapter
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This chapter provides an overview of the application of CE at the meso level. The authors focus on EIPs, as the most representative cases at this level. The EIPs are unique examples showing how companies can cooperate in sharing resources such as water, energy, material, by-products, and services. Case studies of EIPs (IZ NÖ-Süd in Austria and Ulsan Mipo and Onsan Industrial Park) are presented, with their environmental, economic, and social performances tracked through existing evaluation frameworks. To provide a deeper perspective on the topic, the origins, evolution, and current performances of Kalundborg Symbiosis EIP in Denmark, the well-known longstanding case of EIP are briefly summarized. Moreover, the current monitoring framework developed by the Chinese government complements the analysis. So far, China has developed the largest EIP program worldwide. Overall, the EIPs case studies show that, besides the economic benefits, EIPs provide environmental and social benefits depending on their implementation and management. In such a way, the cases show how EIPs can contribute to diversifying the industrial context in a more sustainable way and more in harmony with the natural environment and the surrounding social community.
... The term IS refers to the exchange of residue flows created by one production process and intended for another, such that waste or by-products from one process become resources for another (Chertow 2000(Chertow , 2007. IS has also been defined as a systems approach to a more sustainable and integrated industrial system that discovers economic possibilities through taking advantage of underutilized resources (Lombardi and Laybourn 2012). ...
... Simply put, IS links industries together that are traditionally disconnected via the physical exchanges of resources, energy, water, and/ or by-products to gain competitive advantage. Although opportunities through IS are frequently made possible by proximity to one another, creating synergy between companies is absolutely necessary (Chertow 2007). noted that IS has taken many forms across the world, from top-down government mandates to bottom-up autonomous projects, from self-initiated synergies to aided and coordinated IS networks. ...
... More broadly, the results are also consistent with other findings and arguments in the IS literature although there are a few differences. For example, Chertow (2000), Chertow (2007), and Lu et al. (2020) argued that companies are interested in joining IS and (or) Ur-IS initiatives in order to obtain both economic and environmental bottom-line benefits. In a similar vein, many businesses engaging in IS exchanges do so, at least in part, for the possible economic rewards, according to a qualitative study on industrial symbiosis in the UK (Paquin and Howard-Grenville 2012). ...
Article
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The circular economy (CE) refers to a new industrial paradigm that contrasts with the linear supply chain structure based on a "take, make, use, dispose" pathway. Due to its potential contributions to improving the CE, industrial symbiosis (IS) has been recognized as a feasible way to advance it. Urban symbiosis is an extension of IS that involves a series of symbiotic relationships among enterprises within the urban area. Combining urban and industrial symbiosis (Ur-IS) is a step toward better resource efficiency in urban areas and industrial zones and urban areas. However, while there are several driving forces for Ur-IS adoption, there are also many inhibiting factors. A comprehensive decision framework is needed to address the principal drivers and challenges for Ur-IS initiatives. Türkiye, designated as a candidate for full EU membership in 1999, also places importance on environmental sustainability goals and effective resource management in its own move towards a CE. Our literature review concluded that there is only one quantitative study investigating the driving and (or) restraining forces for Ur-IS adoption in emerging and industrialized countries. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of Ur-IS implementation in Türkiye through the proposed Neutrosphopic-Simple Additive Weighting Method-based force field theory of change and the Neutrosphopic–Interpretive Structured Modeling-Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Method. The findings suggest that lack of policies, lack of incentives and regulations, and vulnerability and supply uncertainty are the most significant restraining forces for Ur-IS implementation in Türkiye. The research findings can assist decision-makers in Türkiye in effectively implementing Ur-IS.
... Asimismo, el aumento sostenido de la cantidad y variedad de información disponible (que podría ayudar a derivar en acuerdos más beneficiosos) y la cantidad de transacciones que demandan algunos mercados (por ejemplo, en esquemas con brokers financieros o productores pequeños intercambiando energía eléctrica), impiden una intervención humana efectiva en los breves lapsos de tiempo de los que dispone para negociar. De esta manera, los modelos modernos de mercados basados en enfoques de economías colaborativas que podrían aumentar el bienestar social suelen no implementarse [3] o no ser sustentables [4] por la falta de una automatización apropiada de las negociaciones entre las partes que lo conforman. ...
... El caso de los EIPs, por ejemplo, es una de las contribuciones a las que apuesta la Organización para el Desarrollo Industrial de las Naciones Unidas (UNIDO, por la definición en inglés) [100], a través del fomento de la simbiosis industrial [3,101,102]. Esto también está de acuerdo con varios de los 17 Objetivos para el Desarrollo Sostenible propuestos por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas [103], como el de agua limpia y saneamiento, energía asequible y no contaminante, trabajo decente y crecimiento económico, industria, innovación e infraestructura, ciudades y comunidades sostenibles, y producción y consumo responsables. ...
... Aún más, los modelos predictivos existentes del agente focal no contemplan cómo afecta el contexto al oponente, cómo el oponente puede estar pensando que el contexto influencia al agente focal, cómo el oponente piensa que el agente focal está pensando sobre el oponente mismo y el contexto, y así sucesivamente. Sin embargo, los agentes deben considerar el contexto al mentalizar sobre el oponente para tomar decisiones racionales en sistemas cambiantes y complejos [185] como en mercados de energía en SGs [43] o EIPs [3] o cualquier otro entorno de negociación automatizada. ...
Thesis
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Esta tesis aborda el desarrollo de agentes de software inteligentes capaces de llevar a cabo negociaciones automatizadas entre ellos. Los agentes dependen de percepciones individuales sobre hechos, eventos y circunstancias que definen el contexto de la negociación. El contexto afecta de diferentes formas las preferencias de cada agente, las estrategias de negociación y la utilidad obtenida a partir del resultado de la negociación. Sin embargo, la literatura sobre negociación automatizada no profundiza en el contexto de la negociación ni en cómo utilizar la información que contiene, a pesar de que dicha información es de vital importancia para aprender y adaptar las estrategias. En esta tesis, se desarrolla un marco conceptual para la negociación bilateral automatizada entre agentes conscientes del contexto. Los agentes aprenden del contexto y adaptan su comportamiento en dos niveles de abstracción temporal según el oponente con el que negocian. En el nivel superior, los agentes usan aprendizaje por refuerzos para aprender a seleccionar estrategias. En el nivel inferior, los agentes modelan a sus oponentes usando inferencia Bayesiana, procesos Gaussianos y teoría de la mente artificial para adaptar las estrategias. Estos agentes se validan en dos mercados entre pares: un parque ecoindustrial y una red eléctrica inteligente. Los resultados demuestran que la incorporación del contexto como fuente informativa es clave para los agentes en negociaciones bilaterales. El aprendizaje permite a los agentes mejorar los beneficios individuales. La adaptación provee a los agentes cierta ventaja competitiva frente a sus oponentes, mientras que favorece alcanzar acuerdos en escenarios con menos margen para negociar. Finalmente, los agentes de negociación conscientes del contexto tienden a equilibrar y mejorar el bienestar social en mercados entre pares.
... Las empresas hacen un uso más eficiente de los recursos, se disminuye la cantidad de desechos, se minimizan los GEI, se ahorran costos provenientes de materias primas y se generan nuevos puestos de trabajo provenientes de las nuevas actividades de EC (Baldasarre et al., 2019;Boons et al., 2014.;, Chertow, 2000, 2007Short et al., 2014). ...
... Si así fuera, desde las grandes industrias recicladoras hasta las organizaciones de valorización textil se considerarían como SI. Para distinguir estos intercambios de la SI, Chertow (2007) propuso un modelo "3-2 heurístico": al menos tres entidades diferentes deben intercambiar al menos dos tipos de recursos. Ninguna de las entidades involucradas debe tener como actividad primaria el reciclaje. ...
Article
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La Simbiosis Industrial es un modelo de negocio perteneciente a la economía circular, donde los residuos o subproductos de una empresa se transforman en materias primas para otra, generando ventajas económicas, ambientales y sociales para las organizaciones involucradas. A pesar de estos beneficios, su implementación entre los distintos sectores industriales no es muy extendida. Según la literatura, esta situación se debe a ciertas problemáticas inherentes a este fenómeno, identificándose los costos de transacción como una de las principales barreras para su desarrollo. El objetivo de este trabajo es identificar los costos de transacción asociados con el desarrollo de una red de Simbiosis Industrial.Para ello, se realizó un estudio cualitativo a partir de las redes originadas por el etanol en la provincia de Córdoba, Argentina. Se llevaron a cabo 13 entrevistas como fuentes primarias de información y se analizaron diversos documentos como fuentes secundarias. Los resultados profundizaron en tres tipos de costos de transacción: costos de búsqueda, de negociación y de ejecución. Entre los cuales resaltan aspectos como la determinación del costo de transporte, la fijación de un precio y el costo de instalación de infraestructura para el acondicionamiento del residuo o subproducto en materia prima. Además, se proponen posibles soluciones basadas en la literatura, tales como el uso de plataformas de información digital y la implementación de contratos flexibles
... Business and market opportunities are also boosted for the creation of partnerships among companies. Lastly, social advantages concern the creation of new green jobs, such as the resource manager, and the cultural shift toward sharing-economy and CE (Chertow 2007;Cutaia et al. 2015). However, the practical implementation of IS networks is still hindered by several factors, i.e., a mix of cultural, managerial, technological, legislative issues influencing the decision-making process of potential entrants. ...
... Chertow underlined that the keys for IS are the collaboration and the synergistic possibilities offered by geographic proximity. To distinguish IS from other types of resource exchanges, Chertow (2007) proposed a minimum criterion for IS networks, i.e., the "3-2 heuristic," that considers at least three different actors and at least two categories of resources. Posteriorly, Lombardi and Laybourn (2012) proposed an updated definition of IS, considering it as a business tool for sustainable growth in which geographic proximity is neither necessary nor enough. ...
Article
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The strategic management of supply chains, by ensuring closed-loop manufacturing processes and a constant reduction of industrial waste, is an essential pillar of sustainability. This is the pattern behind the, so-called, circular supply chains. The effective adoption of this paradigm demands the supply chains actors to establish robust integration and relationships, so that waste and by‐products of an industry or industrial process become the raw materials for others. This circular network is defined as industrial symbiosis. Starting from a background on this topic, this working paper explores the potential of blockchain as enabling technology of Industry 4.0 to disseminate industrial symbiosis practices within the modern industrial scenario. A preliminary two-step framework, i.e., conceptual and operative, is presented including insights and win–win synergies showing the potential of blockchain technology in supporting informative flows of industrial symbiosis. Preliminary field experiences are suggested, along with existing limitations and perspectives on future research.
... Under the umbrella of CE, IS has become a priority action in achieving resource optimisation through exchanging resources among the geographically proximate industrial entities (Ventura et al., 2023). IS is a concept that engage traditionally separated and geographically proximate three or more different industrial entities to attain collective advantages though the physical exchange of resources including materials, energy, water, by-products, services and infrastructure (Chertow, 2007;Mallawaarachchi et al., 2021). ...
... Accordingly, the authors conceptualised a model to enable IoT technology in IS for construction material sharing in construction industry as presented in Figure 4. The proposed model was developed by clustering three construction project entities based on the theory of "at least three or more industrial entities and two material flow synergies between the entities" (Chertow, 2007). All industry partners including waste generators, collectors, recyclers, primary and secondary consumers of the recycled materials within the construction industry are connected and integrated through the IoT-enabled smart platform. ...
Conference Paper
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Under the umbrella of Circular Economy (CE), the concept of Industrial Symbiosis (IS) offers a heuristic solution for enhancing resource efficiency through reusing and exchanging of resources. Indeed, IS integrates the complexity of industries encouraging the use of materials and by-products as feedstock sources instead of being wasted. Digital technologies in CE transition have obtained significant attentiveness in academic research in last decade. However, while studies on the concepts of IoT, CE and IS have increased, there is a deficiency in research that systematises the literature for refining the importance of the intersection of IoT and IS in building construction. Thus, the purpose of this research is to conceptualise a IoT-enabled IS model for construction material sharing through Scopus-based systematic review of key literature. The journal articles published in Scopus database related to the fields of CE, IoT and IS were reviewed to understand their intersection towards construction material sharing. Systematic review outcomes were analysed using bibliometric analysis technique. The evolution of the publications, leading journals and authors who published the most papers on the intersection of CE, IoT and IS were mainly reviewed and a IoT-enabled IS model for construction material sharing in construction industry was conceptualised as the key implication of this research. The next stage of the research is to develop a generic symbiotic prototype for IoT-enabled construction material sharing between building construction projects, which can be applied in any context subjected to context specific enhancements.
... Optimally, this would result in zero waste (Cecchin et al., 2020). Industrial symbiosis typically entails collaborations between independent actors exchanging excess energy and resources to increase efficiency within industry and society at large (Chertow, 2000(Chertow, , 2007. If managed properly, industrial symbiosis has great prospects in terms of efficiency gains and untapped economic, social, and environmental benefits. ...
... Industrial symbiosis typically entails collaborations between different, traditionally independent actors exchanging byproducts, e.g., excess heat or waste materials. The aim of industrial symbiosis is to reduce the use of primary energy and virgin materials, and thereby simultaneously decreasing adverse environmental impacts and saving costs (Chertow, 2000;Chertow, 2007). In the last decade, the definition of industrial symbiosis collaboration has been broadened, coming to include not only physical resource exchanges between industries, but also the sharing of assets, logistics, knowledge, and information between both industries and urban areas (Domenech et al., 2019;Fraccascia, 2018;Lombardi and Laybourn, 2012). ...
Article
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Industrial symbiosis can move us closer to a circular economy and enable efficient and sustainable use of resources. Its potential has however been far from realized, and to increase our understanding of why that is, we investigate drivers, barriers, and outcomes associated with both broadly defined environmental sustainability initiatives and industrial symbiosis from an organizational context perspective. A mixed-methods approach is used, combining statistical analysis of survey material with an embedded case study at an industrial symbiosis network in Sotenäs, Sweden. The position of the customer order decoupling point (CODP), a critical aspect of supply chains that separates forecast-based operations from those tied to specific orders, enables comparisons between organizations with primarily forecast-driven operations from those with primarily order-driven operations. We find that the CODP plays an important role in organizations' commitments to sustainability initiatives in general, as organizations with different CODP positions experience different levels of benefits from such initiatives. We did not find that the CODP position had the same impact for industrial symbiosis initiatives. Our results indicate that both industrial symbiosis, a very specific type of sustainability initiative and collaboration, and environmental sustainability initiatives in a broad sense, are associated with multiple, positive business outcomes. However, case study participants also described that their industrial symbiosis participation was time consuming and associated with an added administrative burden. This could be a reason why such collaborations are not more prevalent, despite the potential of bringing about several positive business outcomes. Finally, our findings indicate that industrial symbiosis may bring business-related benefits to firms regardless of their CODP position, but then in order to understand why such networks are not more prevalent, we recommend that future research investigates ways of quantifying and distributing burdens and rewards associated with industrial symbiosis collaboration.
... 1, 3-5 1 Industrial symbiosis (IS), which originates from the concepts of an ecoindustry, is an effective tool to integrate resource endowment and industrial technologies to maximize the bene ts of regional resource use. 1,2,[6][7][8] Recently, IS has been extensively studied, particularly in the construction of IS networks (ISNs). 6,[8][9][10][11][12][13] The scienti c efforts devoted to ISNs focus mainly on the following routes: i) self-organizing/selfemerging/serendipitous; and ii) planned/designed/goal-directed. ...
... 6,[8][9][10][11][12][13] The scienti c efforts devoted to ISNs focus mainly on the following routes: i) self-organizing/selfemerging/serendipitous; and ii) planned/designed/goal-directed. 7,8,11,14,15 These routes and models may have a better application to the retro tting of industrial parks, whereas they may not contribute signi cantly to the construction of ISNs from the beginning, which requires the implementation of a theoretical or quasi-optimal state of ISNs to the highest extent and the full range of input-output matching. 16, 17 Furthermore, systematic methods can avoid the aforementioned limitations, whereas most of the studies focus on three dominant categories: energy, water, and materials in the domain of optimization. ...
Preprint
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The development and utilization of bulk resources provide the basic material needs for industrial systems. However, the majority of the current resource utilization patterns are unsustainable. We developed a technology-based optimization model to guide sustainable and low-carbon transitions for the regional economy with complex resource endowments and selected the Qinghai saline lake region as a case study to explore the effectiveness of optimizing the regional industry structure. The results indicate that the current pattern of the Qinghai saline lake region is unsustainable with low efficiencies, high carbon emissions, and low added value, and after optimizing the industrial structure, the benefits of economic output, resource efficiency, and carbon emission reductions can be obtained. The scenario analyses exhibit disparities in the transition path from the original to the optimal industry structure. Notably, benefits from implementing carbon mitigation measures significantly exceeded the implementation of that of end-of-pipe measures. This study provides a quantitative tool for achieving sustainable and low-carbon footprint planning for regional resource-based industries.
... This group includes nine works focusing on economic activities from different standpoints. Zhang et al. (2011) and Zhang et al. (2013) Four studies analyze the benefits and conditions for industrial symbioses, i.e., physical exchanges of materials, energy, water, and by-products among diversified clusters of firms (Chertow, 2007;Gibbs;Deutz, 2007;Fang;Côté, 2007;Qin, 2006;Han;Cui, 2014). In some cases, symbiosis is studied in specific eco-industrial parks (EIP). ...
Article
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Systematic knowledge about how the literature has dealt with the different dimensions of sustainability-bound industrial policies is still limited. The purpose of this article is to investigate the nature of this body of literature to suggest a frame of reference for further research on climate policy experiments. For that, a quantitative bibliometric analysis is combined with a narrative literature review. The quantitative study covers co-citation and keyword co-occurrence patterns from 1,660 articles published in Scopus and Web of Science from 1976 to 2023. The qualitative in-depth analysis covers 33 top-cited works. The quantitative study indicates three patterns: (1) a discussion about green industrial policies from a broad development perspective, (2) a focus on thematic specialization to investigate the role of industry and the State, and (3) contributions concerned with sustainable industrial development in a specific national context (mainly China). The qualitative analysis reveals a consensus on the importance of proactive State interventions. The most cited and discussed instruments are of a regulatory nature (carbon pricing) and tax incentives, but with strong differences in the breadth and scope of State intervention. The article concludes that effective decarbonization industrial policies demand concerted State capabilities strictly and pertinently aligned to the peculiar features of different sustainability challenges.
... Simbiose Industrial é discutida em publicações científicas que abrangem desde estudos de casos de modelos e aplicações de SI, como a utilização de resíduos de chapas metálicas de uma indústria automobilística, proposta por Ali, Wang & Alvarado (2019) (Chertow, 2007). ...
Article
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Como um dos principais facilitadores da Economia Circular (EC), a Simbiose Industrial (SI) tem como objetivo promover a eficiência na utilização de recursos e minimizar o desperdício dentro de uma rede de indústrias. O número de publicações sobre SI tem aumentado consideravelmente, refletindo tanto o interesse dos pesquisadores pelo tema quanto a expansão da SI para novas áreas de pesquisa. Este estudo propõe uma análise bibliométrica abrangente, mapeando os principais tópicos, autores e países abordados na literatura sobre o tema. Essa análise contribui para a compreensão e identificação dos temas centrais, bem como para o reconhecimento de autores e países que desempenham um papel significativo nesse campo de pesquisa.
... Activities can be classified as industrial symbiosis if they involve exchanging materials, water, and energy. Various layouts can embody eco-industrial parks while remaining aligned with environmentally sustainable objectives and promoting a collaborative approach [11]. Byproducts generated by one company might serve as input for other companies. ...
Conference Paper
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The increasing consumption followed by growth in palm oil production in Indonesia has caused an increase in waste generation, which can harm the environment if disposed of directly. An alternative solution for this problem is to implement the circular economy concept to establish an Agro Eco-Industrial Park (AEIP) to minimize the environmental impact of palm oil production. Little attention has been given to investigating the optimization of material sharing within an AEIP. Implementing the concept of AEIP and based on the material flow of palm oil production, this research attempts to develop a mathematical model using a goal programming approach to optimize waste utilization in the palm oil industry. The mathematical formulation involves creating an objective function to minimize residual material exchange and three constraint functions associated with the material exchange, liquid waste requirements, and demand fulfillment. The simulation result indicates that the model performs better than the existing conditions. The mathematical model developed in this study demonstrated balance in material sharing within the AEIP of the palm oil industry, leading to a closed loop and a 100% waste utilization rate.
... Furthermore, an exploration was conducted on the impact of the role of organizations in ecosystems on ecosystem health and stability [29]. Empirical research on industrial symbiosis was also discussed [138]. The construction of commercial ecosystems was a hot topic during this period. ...
Article
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In recent decades, the term “ecosystem” has garnered substantial attention in scholarly and managerial discourse, featuring prominently in academic and applied contexts. While individual scholars have made significant contributions to the study of various types of ecosystem, there appears to be a research gap marked by a lack of comprehensive synthesis and refinement of findings across diverse ecosystems. This paper systematically addresses this gap through a hybrid methodology, employing bibliometric and content analyses to systematically review the literature from 1993 to 2023. The primary research aim is to critically examine theoretical studies on different ecosystem types, specifically focusing on business, innovation, and platform ecosystems. The methodology of this study involves a content review of the identified literature, combining quantitative bibliometric analyses to differentiate patterns and content analysis for in-depth exploration. The core findings center on refining and summarizing the definitions of business, innovation, and platform ecosystems, shedding light on both commonalities and distinctions. Notably, the research unveils shared characteristics such as openness and diversity across these ecosystems while highlighting significant differences in terms of participants and objectives. Furthermore, the paper delves into the interconnections within these three ecosystem types, offering insights into their dynamics and paving the way for discussions on future research directions. This comprehensive examination not only advances our understanding of business, innovation, and platform ecosystems but also lays the groundwork for future scholarly inquiries in this dynamic and evolving field.
... In Italy, ENEA, on the other hand, promoted the establishment of the first network -Symbiosis Users Network [2]. In particular, IS fits into the field of interdisciplinary studies born within industrial ecology [3][4][5] and is considered as a science of sustainability [6][7][8]. The IS can be defined as an eco-innovative approach for the transition to a circular economy and is based on a strategic business collaboration model -deeply connected with the territorial context and the local community -to achieve common goals. ...
Conference Paper
In the period 2014–21, world consumption of resources increased by about 13%, higher than population growth which was instead of 8% and slightly less than the annual growth of world GDP of 2.2%. This complex global condition confirms the need to continue promoting the transition to a circular economy, on multiple scales, to reduce the environmental impact through a system in which resources are used efficiently and sustainably, as an alternative to the current model of linear economy.The circular economy,which is based on the concept of the “3Rs- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, is expressed thanks to the industrial symbiosis (IS), i.e. the collaboration and sharing of data and resources between different industries or companies within a given territory or the same geographical area. In particular, the IS aims to create collaborative relationships between companies and territories in order to share resources, reduce waste and improve production efficiency. In other words, the IS is functional for the circular economy, and consequently the circular city, by virtue of the progressive international metropolisation. In particular, IS manifests itself with industry 4.0 through the positive integration of digital innovation between businesses, communities and territories and the multi-dimensionality of IS - provincial/metropolitan city, regional and/or national/international - confers a strategic role to face the challenges of sustainable development. In this synthetic framework, the aim of the present paper is to represent a set of circularity indicators through spatial autocorrelation in order to evaluate the IS maturity level in province/metropolitan cities and to promote circular transition. Keywords: Circular Economy · Circular City · Industrial Symbiosis · LISA
... EIPs lead to the connection of different waste-producing pro-cesses, plants, or industries as well as consumers into an operating web (Fang et al. 2007: 319). The EIPs enable both tangible exchanges [i.e. the physical exchange of materials, energy, water, and byproduct (Chertow 2007)] and intangible exchanges of knowledge and human or technical resources (Mirata and Emtairah 2005;Pany-athanakun et al. 2013: 71). The exchanges of resources and collaboration among collaborative companies in the production process enable synergy which is greater than the sum of the individual benefits each company could get if it optimised its own performance only (Cote and Cohen-Rosenthal 1998;Lowe 1997;Panyathanakun et al. 2013: 71;Romero and Ruiz 2014: 394). ...
Article
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There is need for international collaboration among developing and developed countries for fostering green economy and sustainability. Despite of high awareness on climate change, even the developed countries are underperforming with respect to
... Symbiotic relationships have an effect on the components of corporate return, such as the growth of business, the number of tourist visitors, profitability (Brighi and Venturelli, 2016), exit probability via initial public offerings and internal rate of return (IRR) (Xue et al., 2019), sales and market share (Larkin, 2020). Further, symbiotic relationships affect utility sharing (Chertow, 2007), strategic and idea sharing (Googins and Rochlin, 2000), loan terms (Bharath et al., 2011) and new marketing distribution (Sanchez et al., 2007). According to Kijkasiwat et al. (2021), the concept of symbiosis can enhance firm performance in a small town in New Zealand namely Cambridge. ...
Article
This study re-conceptualises the relationship between symbiosis and risk/return as an influence for economic benefit or harm for micro, small and medium enterprises in tourism. A critique of predictive literature identifies Monte Carlo simulation's capacity to use non-parametric data and input of multiple, concurrent variables as best suited to forecasting firms' performance. Statistically significant risk/return variables are established from national monitors. The secondary which is accessed from the New Zealand Business Benchmarking Survey and the Management Resource Centre is used for the simulations. Results show that businesses in different industries were affected by range of factors that resulted in variation in a particular firm's profit. Hospitality enterprises are most vulnerable, accommodation and retail firms experience greater flux, but the retail component recovers quickly. The research contributes to symbiosis theory, predictive methodology and has implications for the economic recovery of the tourism sector.
... Specifically, Sullivan et al. (2018) show that IE links industrial systems to all 17 SDGs individually (see also Schroeder et al., 2019). Crucially, the IE literature points to the need to identify and evaluate interdependencies between different relevant goals (Chandrakumar et al., 2019;Yang et al., 2020), with a particular focus on "uncovering" existing synergies (Chertow, 2007). Such a broad, recursive, and SDG-oriented framework is particularly well suited to inform the goals of food supply chain design as it aligns closely with the system-wide sustainable development objectives of the Great Food Transformation (Willett et al., 2019). ...
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Global food systems need an urgent transformation to be compatible with sustainable development. While much of the recent academic discussion has focused on food production and consumption, food supply chains have received considerably less attention. Here, we conduct a large‐scale, systematic literature review of 48,014 academic articles to assess the links between the food cold chain literature and sustainable development. We find a multitude of deep links between food cooling and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but also identify underexplored areas of sustainable food cooling research regarding its (1) goals, (2) analytical depth, and (3) context specificity: There is a limited understanding how several relevant synergies between SDGs can be captured, how to best design sustainable food cold chains across multiple value chain stages, and how to scale sustainable cold chains in low‐income and lower‐middle‐income country contexts. We recommend to explicitly consider the salient interconnections between SDGs, increase the analytical depth by deploying more system‐level approaches across entire value chains, and focus on localized solutions in contexts where food supply chains are most underdeveloped.
... In terms of industrial symbiosis, IS promotes material circulation through collective collaboration, thus bringing economic and environmental benefits to enterprises (Chertow 2007;Chertow et al. 2008). IS can convert waste energy into new raw materials, reduce carbon emissions in the manufacturing process, and achieve cleaner production (Baas 2011). ...
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Industrial symbiotic agglomeration is important for promoting the circular economy and reducing pollution emissions. This paper examines the effects of industrial symbiotic agglomeration on pollution emissions using the staggered difference-in-difference model. The findings suggest the following: (1) industrial symbiotic agglomeration reduces total urban pollution emissions, with significant reductions in SO2 and wastewater, although not in solid waste and PM2.5 emissions. (2) The emission reduction effect is achieved mainly through green innovation, the recycling effect, and structural optimization, whereas the cost reduction effect of symbiotic agglomeration is not obvious. (3) Industrial symbiotic agglomeration promotes emission reduction in neighboring cities within a 300-km range, and this reduction decays with geographical distance. In addition, the pollution emission reduction effect of industrial symbiotic agglomeration is only realized when its size reaches 187.17 km², with the effect becoming stronger as the size increases. At present, industrial symbiotic agglomeration mainly plays an emission reduction effect in non-resource cities. This paper provides a new way to promote the green development of industry and region.
... This approach promotes resource efficiency and waste reduction by creating synergies between industries. Industrial chemistry and environ-mental engineering can facilitate the implementation of industrial symbiosis by identifying opportunities for collaboration and developing frameworks for resource exchange [4]. The circular economy encourages the adoption of sustainable chemical processes that minimize the use of hazardous substances and promote the use of renewable feedstocks. ...
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This groundbreaking review explores the crucial role of the circular economy in industrial chemistry and environmental engineering. It surpasses a mere examination of principles and methods, delving into the profound significance and urgency of this transformative shift. By analyzing key elements such as resource efficiency, waste valorization, sustainable product design, industrial symbiosis, and policy integration, the study highlights the power of collaboration, technological advancements, and extensive literature research. It reveals the remarkable alignment between the circular economy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing how circular practices promote resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable production and consumption patterns, thus driving progress across multiple SDGs. With a specific focus on responsible consumption and production, clean energy, innovative industrial practices, climate action, ecosystem protection, water resource management, job creation, economic growth, sustainable urbanization, and collaboration, the review provides a comprehensive roadmap for adopting circularity. Its practical recommendations cover sustainable material selection, resource efficiency, closing loop, digitalization, and robust policy support. In addition, it emphasizes the paramount importance of collaboration, stakeholder engagement, education, capacity building, circular supply chain management, and effective policy frameworks in spearheading circular economy initiatives. Drawing inspiration from diverse circular economy models and compelling case studies in industrial chemistry, the study highlights the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, ensuring both sustainability and positive societal impact. This comprehensive review serves as a guiding light, demonstrating the immense potential of the circular economy in driving sustainable development. It offers actionable guidance for implementing circular practices, empowering professionals to make tangible contributions to a more sustainable future. Additionally, it serves as a foundational piece, fueling the advancement of knowledge, inspiring further research, and propelling remarkable progress in the ever-evolving fields of industrial chemistry and environmental engineering.
... It involves replacing linear material and energy flows with circular alternatives, leading to greater resource efficiency and sustainability (Álvarez & Ruiz-Puente, 2017). Flow substitution has been instrumental in various CE experiments (Belaud et al., 2019;Chembessi et al., 2023) and has contributed to the development of several approaches considered as pillars of CE, such as material recycling, product life extension, biomimicry, sharing economy, servitization, industrial ecology, and industrial symbiosis (Chertow, 2007;Hildebrandt et al., 2021;. The overarching goal of CE through flow substitution is to close the loop by maximizing the use of resources for as long as possible and minimizing waste generation. ...
Article
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In this study, we used the Reference Publication Year Spectroscopy (RPYS) method to explore the historical roots and influential publications of circular economy (CE) studies. Unlike traditional literature reviews, this method allows us to analyze frequently cited works over specified years, assisting in tracing the growth of research subjects over time and quantifying the impact of these citations. We reviewed over 8,395 publications and 302,377 cited references, ranging from 1521 to 2021. Our study uncovered three distinct periods in the evolution of CE studies: i) a precursor phase (1521-1988) that presented foundational yet indirectly related ideas; ii) the "historical roots" (1989-2017) featuring seminal research during twelve notably influential years; and iii) a recent period (2018-2021) characterized by other highly cited studies. Additionally, we identified several influential publications that have introduced innovative viewpoints and advocated for a systematic approach to CE, shaping the present direction of CE research. Our study not only provides essential context for future studies, helping scholars identify thematic gaps, but also frame their research within the existing body of knowledge, and contribute towards a comprehensive, multi-faceted understanding of CE.
... IS promotes economic growth while, at the same time, it generates environmental benefits. Implementation of IS, therefore, holds potential to unlock powerful mechanisms that foster sustainable development (Chertow 2007). ...
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Our current approaches to resource management are not sustainable. Businesses typically follow a linear approach where resources are not well utilized. Maritime ports are part of the problem, as they need to optimize the use of resources and generate negative externalities. However, they can also be important drivers of sustainability if they effectively transition to Circular Economy (CE). In this study, eight principles of CE and ten CBMs, are discussed and used to analyze ports in three areas of intervention. This paper analyzes current CE practices in European ports and the potential to adopt Circular Business Models (CBMs) to create value for port stakeholders and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drivers and barriers to CE were analyzed, and the level of development was assessed. The ports studied are in Europe and are generally regarded as Maritime Industrial Ports (MIP). The methodology includes a Semi-Systematic Literature Review (SSLR) and a SWOT analysis to examine CE practices in maritime ports. This methodology helped enhance the analysis of Drivers and Barriers to CE transition. This study concludes that ports are developing circular practices and business models on the technical and biological flows, but the level of implementation is moderated to low. Six drivers for adopting CE principles were identified, including European ports’ experience in circular activities and the Quality & Environmental Management System (EMS). In addition, seven barriers to CE were highlighted, including the diversity of port characteristics and the different interests and ambitions of port stakeholders that make it difficult to standardize measurements and transition to circularity. Circular development goals in ports should be integrated, and development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The findings and implications of this study will help Port Authorities (PA) in the strategy, policy development, and implementation of CBMs.
... Another issue concerns industrial symbiosis, which has received much attention from the field of industrial ecology (Chertow, 2007;Jacobsen, 2006). There is a parallel between research on clusters and industrial symbiosis, as both are concerned with co-location and fruitful exchanges. ...
Article
The waste management sector is undergoing profound transformations that challenge its structures and institutions. The function and position of waste management and recycling companies have been changing, and this process accelerates as the circular economy consolidates as part of the strategy to implement green shifts. This article argues that scholars, practitioners and policymakers interested in waste management could benefit from building bridges with the field of industrial dynamics. Industrial dynamics is concerned with the driving forces of economic transformation, with focus on not just outcomes but processes and structures. This type of research is crucial in face of transformations going on in the sector. Three crucial themes for cross-disciplinary investigation are: (i) industry evolution and institutions, (ii) business organization and management, and (iii) technological change, innovation and entrepreneurship. Waste management is a lively, complex and diverse sector, whose process of reinvention present the opportunity to research profound industrial transformations in real time. By systematically investigating the industrial dynamics of waste management, it becomes possible to uncover the structural changes underpinning the transformation of waste into resources, their driving forces and the directions to which they point, while mindful of the evolving discourses and the wider technological and institutional landscape. Submitted version: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4215807
... First, an environmental impact materialized by the reduction of the consumption natural resources, reduction of carbon impact and waste. Then, the economic level is marked by the reduction of supply, waste treatment and transport costs (Chertow, 2007). ...
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Faced with depleting natural resources, the circular economy offers a solution to achieving sustainable economic development by bringing material, energy, by-products, and waste back into the loop. This article aims to highlight changes in supply chains brought about by circular economy practices. To this end, we followed six companies from various sectors located in a port area that have adopted circular economy practices. Using qualitative case study methodology, we show that transitioning from a linear to a circular economy requires significant transformations and changes at different supply chain levels to achieve a circular supply chain such as changing partners, sourcing locations, increasing the number of suppliers, and upstream waste management.
... Sending waste to other industrial units eliminates the costs associated with its disposal. Some revenues come from the sale of waste to other manufacturers (Dong et al., 2013;Guo et al., 2016;Khan et al., 2022) and from resource sharing (Chertow, 2007). The study by Guo et al (2016) shows that the Huatai chemical industry achieved an economic benefit worth US$24.29 million annually. ...
Article
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The current situation of depletion and increasing scarcity of renewable and non renewable natural resources calls for concrete and rapid action by governments, as the planet is currently living on credit. The circular economy can help tackle challenges such as waste gestion, pollution, biodiversity protection and climate change, by reusing production waste and by-products to reduce consumption of resources and safeguard the needs of future generations. The circular economy offers a number of environmental, economic and social benefits. This article presents the benefits of circular supply chains for companies in the Atlantic Port of La Rochelle. We used a qualitative methodology and carried out an in-depth study of 6 companies involved in the port's circular economy project. The results show a number of benefits, including a reduction ordinary industrial waste, financial savings, a reduction in the consumption of virgin resources and a reduction in carbon impact on circular supply chain.
... Industrial ecology includes some specialized tools and techniques that can be used within industrial symbiosis. The network of physical processes and relationships between companies that transform raw materials and energy into finished products and waste is known as the "industrial metabolism" [28][29][30]. The industrial metabolism, in addition to biological systems, is based on the use of by-products to form closed cyclic systems that produce minimal waste and consume fewer natural resources and energy. ...
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The current geopolitical map, facing challenges and disruptions to industrial-technological relations, requires transformation the processes of interaction between economic agents and the building of collaborative links through the implementation of ecosystem models. The aim of the article is to assess the resilience of industrial ecosystems by determining the collaborative maturity, resource stability and technological resilience of actors. The article presents a typology of integration forms between industrial enterprises based on symbiotic relationships. The concept of ecosystem symbiosis is introduced. The authors propose a methodology for assessing industrial ecosystem sustainability, distinguished by the approach to the formation of an integral indicator consisting of three components: stability (invulnerability), resilience (reliability) and ecosystem (coherence). The composite index method, fuzzy sets method, preference ordering by similarity to the ideal solution, rank sum method, fuzzy k-means clustering method, least squares method, Gaussian method, and variance and multiple regression analyses were used in developing the methodology for stability assessment. The approach is demonstrated by the example of three industrial ecosystems in the Voronezh, Belgorod and Lipetsk regions of the Russian Federation. As a result of the analysis, it was found that ecosystem’s sustainability was achieved, primarily due to the factors of resilience and reliability, which had the maximum impact on the integrated sustainability indicator. The propositions arising from this analysis provide information on the industrial integrations with the highest and the lowest sustainability, to provide academics, policymakers and industrial enterprises with a more adequate understanding of the practical mechanisms that help trigger sustainable development.
... Industrial symbiosis refers to energy and material exchanges between actors located in geographic proximity (Ehrenfeld and Gertler 1997) and was originally defined as "traditionally separate industries in a collective approach to competitive advantage involving physical exchange of materials, energy, water and by-products" (Chertow 2007, p. 12). Chertow (2007) mentions three main connections of resource exchanges: (1) the reuse of by-products as substitutes for products or raw materials, (2) sharing of infrastructure, use and organization of resources such as energy, water and wastewater, and (3) a common supply of services, such as transport, food and fire stations. The goal of industrial symbiosis is that cooperation between actors increases the efficiency of the system as a whole, and although some of the actors in the system are less environmentally focused, the whole system can be environmental because of the connections between the actors (Ehrenfeld and Gertler 1997). ...
... Semi-structured interview, Chertow (2007), . ...
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Purpose: The circular economy is a key issue for any company, city, or institution. The linear economy model, based on "take, make, use and waste" of products and resources, has discarded potentially valuable resources and caused serious contamination problems. In contrast, the circular economy (CE) model is a strategic paradigm whose purpose is to regenerate and conserve resources through closed material loops and the sustainable use of energy in its processes. Therefore, a growing number of companies are applying different tools and techniques to implement the CE principles to innovate their products, services, and processes, achieving promising results. Thus, the main objective of this study is to suggest an implementation model named “Circular clock” based on a set of tools and techniques which firms may use for implementing CE.Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents an empirical analysis based on the triangulation method that includes three different data sources: semi-structured interviews in Spain, academic literature and books, and non-academic publications from institutions and consultancy firms. Findings: The most relevant result of this study is the proposal of a Circular Clock model for circular economy implementation is based on six fields of action define in the academic literature: take, make, distribute, use, recover, and industrial symbiosis. Moreover, this study may serve as guidance in facilitating the strategic adoption of eco-innovation practices in firms' transition to a CE. Research limitations/implications: The sample of companies that participated in the triangulation is exploratory; however, this limitation is overcome by reviewing academic literature and institutional reports. On the other hand, academics could expand the selection of tools with subsequent studies.Practical implications: The current study is based on the triangulation method, which was vital to balance the theory and practice provided by academic sources, reports, and books. In addition, this study has improved our understanding of the goals or intentions that may motivate firms to implement the CE and align them with the suggested set of tools. Consequently, this study is relevant to support practitioners in selecting a tool based on the goal they want to achieve towards circular economy implementation.Social implications: This research suggests several tools; however, each organization could adapt some that it already knows. Therefore, firms and implementation leaders should customize the circle with short lines in each case. Moreover, the clock bells represent the deadline considering that every CE implementation process requires a deadline to ensure its success in micro-level or firms.Originality/value: The "circular clock" provides a didactic way for sustainability leaders, consultants, or companies to facilitate the implementation of the circular economy by choosing the field of action on which they want to focus and the most appropriate tool according to their strategy, objective, and budget. Therefore, this model is based on the balance between theory and practice.
... Europe this only exist in England, Wales and the Czech Republic (Eur-Eau, 2018). Within a circular water management scheme, such as an industrial symbiosis, the collaborative arrangements typically emerge through firms developing a self-organising network for resource exchange (Chertow, 2007). In the case studied in this article, it is the municipality that has brought companies together to start working on circular water management. ...
Article
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Circular water management has the potential to close resource and material loops within and across value chains. In the water industry, circular municipal wastewater management through industrial urban symbiosis (IUS) is recognized as a solution to overcome water scarcity in urban environments. IUS involves collaboration between actors with different organizational backgrounds, which can lead to inherent risks of conflicting goals. This study explores how different values drive various organizations to participate in an emerging circular wastewater collaboration. The study comprises a literature review of 34 scientific articles and a case study of a potential circular wastewater system through IUS in Simrishamn, Sweden. It presents an interdisciplinary framework based on the total economic value concept and organizational archetypes for examining actor values in circular wastewater management. This framework provides a novel approach for assessing different values and how they may compete or align. It can also identify the absence of certain values, enabling the achievement of a minimum level of value coherence amongst different actors, and thereby increasing the sustainability and effectiveness of circular wastewater collaborations. Therefore, careful planning and stakeholder interaction, in accordance with economic value perspectives, can enhance the legitimacy and policy development of circular solutions.
... Industrial symbiosis "engages traditionally separate industries in a collective approach to competitive advantage, involving a physical exchange of materials, energy, water, and byproducts. The keys to industrial symbiosis are collaboration and the synergistic possibilities offered by geographic proximity" (Chertow, 2007). Industrial symbiosis provides a competitive advantage that benefits enterprises in industrial parks because of the firms' agglomeration that utilize waste as a resource in production, making EIPs ideal sustainable industrial parks Susur, Martin-Carrillo, et al., 2019). ...
... Industrial ecology is a study that focusses on production systems with respect to nature, where it attempts to mimic the natural ecosystem by conserving and reusing resources with the ideal of having no waste (Valenzuela-Venegas et al., 2016). It aims to increase business success through increased economic gains while preserving the environment and considering the social aspect of the system (Chertow, 2007). Industrial symbiosis is a subset of industrial ecology and attempts to realise those goals by forming symbiotic relationships between different organisations/industries via their wastes and/or by-products. ...
Article
Purpose – In the past two decades, manufacturing has witnessed significant transformations alongside ecological challenges. Meanwhile, industrial 4.0 digital technologies have accelerated industrialisation with potentials of innovation in the context of circular economy. However, current concepts and models are fragmented and impractical. This paper aims to develop a holistic view integrating the three bodies of knowledge – industrialisation, ecologicalisation and digitalisation (IED) – in order to achieve sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach – Critical literature review is conducted across three bodies of knowledge. Key themes are summarised with the identification of research gaps. A theoretical framework is synthesised and developed aiming to achieve synergy from IED with the modules, integration architecture, mechanism and dynamic paths. Findings – First, the authors review and develop three conceptual models of ecologicalised industrialisation (IE3), industrial system digitalisation (D1) and digital technology industrialisation (D2) separately. Second, the authors propose a theoretical framework seeking to synthesise the above three conceptual models together to form the IED. Third, the authors design a process orientated abductive approach to improve and validate the IED framework. Originality/value – This study contributes to the limited literature addressing the linkage of IED by integration different perspectives to develop theory in a novel way. Practically, it provides important tools for organisations to consider resource cascading in combination with digitalisation during the industrial system design. Keywords: Industrial ecology, Industrial system, Circular economy, Digitalisation, Sustainability Paper type: Conceptual paper
... Industrial symbiosis "engages traditionally separate industries in a collective approach to competitive advantage, involving a physical exchange of materials, energy, water, and byproducts. The keys to industrial symbiosis are collaboration and the synergistic possibilities offered by geographic proximity" (Chertow, 2007). Industrial symbiosis provides a competitive advantage that benefits enterprises in industrial parks because of the firms' agglomeration that utilize waste as a resource in production, making EIPs ideal sustainable industrial parks Susur, Martin-Carrillo, et al., 2019). ...
... Considering service industries' tripartite roles (as a customer of other sectors, as an institutional service provider and as an individual service provider) and the increasing convergence between the manufacturing and services sectors, integrating SSCs with industrial symbiosis is an area of S 3 CM that offers interesting research potential. Industrial symbiosis is defined as the sharing of resources -including materials, energy, water and by-products -among diversified clusters of firms (Chertow, 2007). The key to industrial symbiosis is collaboration between non-competing firms, which can seize the synergistic possibilities enabled by geographic proximity. ...
... Gambar 1. Temuan empirik dari perkembangan simbiosis industri (Chertow. 2007) ...
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Pendekatan symbiosis industri merupakan salah satu pendekatan yang dapat dilakukan terhadap pengelolaan lingkungan industri. Pengelolaan lingkungan industry menjadi penting mengingat industry merupak sector yang paling besar berkontribusi terhadap Pendapatan Regional Bruto (PDB) dan juga menyerap tenaga kerja cukup besar. Pembentukan symbiosis industry membutuhkan sinergi dan kolaborasi pada awal pembentukannya. Sinergi dan kolaborasi terjadi di rantai pasok, termasuk rantai pasok otomotif. Penelitian ini bertujuan melihat pengaruh sinergi dan kolaborasi terhadap terjadinya pertukaran materi, pertukaran energi, pertukaran produk samping dan pertukaran air. Penelitian ini dilakukan terhadap perusahaan komponen otomotif yang berlokasi di Jabodetabek, yang merupakan suplayer PT Astra Daihatsu Motor (PT.ADM) dan memprodukdi komponen yang masa pakainya singkat (fast moving). Sampel dipilih secara purposive dan pengumpulan data menggunakan koesioner yang didistribusikan secara online. Data yang terkumpul dianalisis dengan menggunakan model regresi berganda dengan variable independent adalah sinergi dan kolaborasi, sedangkan variable dependen adalah pertukaran materi, pertukaran energi, pertukaran produk samping dan pertukaran air. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa sinergi berpengaruh signifikan terhadap perubahan materi dan pertukaran air. Kolaborasi berpengaruhi signifikan terhadap pertukaran produk samping dan pertukaran energi tidak dipengaruhi secara signifikan oleh sinergi dan kolaborasi.
Chapter
The coalition to ReImagine Appalachia is advancing a sustainable economic vision for a twenty-first century Appalachia—one that is good for working people, communities, the environment and our health. ReImagine Appalachia’s vision builds on the region’s assets while understanding that vision can’t be achieved without significant public investment, strong public policies, and responsible economic development approaches designed to maximize the benefit to the whole community. In this paper, we explore energy-saving opportunities in the manufacturing sector and systemic barriers to achieving those savings; Appalachia’s amazing assets in shuttered and shuttering coal- fired power plants, and the role these assets can play to make Appalachia a manufacturing powerhouse; how investing in clean and efficient manufacturing infrastructure can position Appalachia to be a hub for the responsible industries of the future, such as alternatives to single-use plastic, electric vehicle production, and energy storage technology. We look at good union jobs that can be created if we break down systemic barriers to industrial efficiency and provide a case study of how an Ohio manufacturing facility, working with energy partners, reduced its energy use and operating costs while creating jobs for former coal power plant workers. Finally, we make recommendations for a federal Appalachian manufacturing infrastructure plan designed to lay the foundation for a twenty-first century sustainable manufacturing sector in Appalachia.
Article
Desde la perspectiva de la ecología industrial, la producción sustentable en los parques industriales implica producir más limpiamente bajo parámetros competitivos. El objetivo es proponer un conjunto de variables paramétricas que coadyuven a determinar la sustentabilidad productiva, como alternativa para reducir la presión ambiental. Esta propuesta emana de la revisión de algunos referentes técnico-normativos, que permitieron definir variables, cuya integración genera un conjunto de índices que explican la presencia de dicho ambiente productivo. Se argumenta que la mayoría de los sistemas de producción de los parques industriales no son sustentables, ya que siguen operando linealmente, traduciéndose en una fuerte presión al ambiente, aunado a la ausencia de programas y acciones de tratamiento de residuos materiales e inmateriales.
Chapter
Industrial ecology is a comprehensive approach to promoting sustainable industrial growth. It emphasizes the efficient use of materials and energy within industrial processes. The objective is to emulate industrial systems based on natural ecosystems, in which waste from one process is transformed into input for another, resulting in minimal waste and optimal resource utilization. Although industrial ecology can substantially contribute to sustainability, it encounters several obstacles. This analysis delves into the difficulties, supported by theoretical and practical perspectives.
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The burgeoning global cannabis industry, particularly in legal recreational and medical markets, raises environmental concerns. This study integrates Canada's cannabis industry data, employing a life cycle assessment with primary heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) energy modeling. Six key environmental dimensions—carbon footprint, fossil fuel scarcity, metal depletion potential, terrestrial acidification, and marine and freshwater eutrophication—are examined. Indoor cultivation, though high yielding, relies heavily on energy-intensive HVAC systems. Regional factors like electrical grid efficiency and climate influence indoor production's carbon footprint, with colder regions exhibiting higher footprints from natural gas heating. Conversely, warmer climates rely more on electricity for cooling. Outdoor cultivation significantly reduces input costs and carbon footprint due to lower HVAC use but raises pest control concerns. Urgent comprehensive research on cannabis cultivation's environmental impacts is underscored, advocating for standardized carbon footprint calculations, eco-labeling, and consumer awareness. Industrial symbiosis, co-locating cannabis producers with CO2 emitters, could mitigate environmental externalities from indoor cultivation's supplemental CO2 use.
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The development and utilization of bulk resources provide the basic material needs for industrial systems. However, most current resource utilization patterns are unsustainable, with low efficiencies and high carbon emissions. Here, we report a quantitative tool for resource-based industries to facilitate sustainable and low-carbon transitions within the regional economy. To evaluate the effectiveness of this tool, the saline Qinghai Lake region was chosen as a case study. After optimizing the industrial structure, the benefits of economic output, resource efficiency, energy consumption, solid waste reduction, and carbon emission reduction can be obtained. The scenario analyses exhibit disparities in different transition paths, where the carbon mitigation, economic output, and resource efficiency that benefit from optimal development paths are significantly better than those of the traditional path, indicating the urgency of adopting cleaner technology and industrial symbiosis for regional industries.
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Embora a Economia Circular seja um modelo recente, sua acreditação como viabilizadora da sustentabilidade vem aumentando nas últimas décadas. Esta pesquisa analisou as publicações científicas internacionais relacionadas à Economia Circular e sustentabilidade em periódicos indexados na Web of Science. Uma análise bibliométrica foi realizada por meio de estatística descritiva, identificação de outliers e avaliação de redes sociométricas. A amostra foi composta por 242 artigos, publicados em 103 periódicos e produzidos em 401 instituições. Percebe-se que o tema, apesar de considerado novo, vem crescendo consideravelmente em termos de publicação há quatro anos. No entanto, produção acadêmica brasileira no campo ainda é discreta, trazendo à luz a necessidade de ampliar linhas de pesquisa. Por fim, este artigo identifica oportunidades para futuras pesquisas que possam analisar a aplicação da Economia Circular em campos como economia e negócios, bem como o comportamento do consumidor.
Research
Water is indispensable and irreplaceable resources. It is consumed every day and everywhere from domestic use to agricultural, industrial purposes. By its sector, industry accounts for 12% of global water withdrawal (UN Water, 2021), and this is estimated to increase faster than that of agriculture. Growth of industrial water use is predicted in almost every country in the world including Africa, where the water demand is expected to escalate by 800% by 2050 (Boretti and Rosa, 2019). Water-intensive industries, such as manufacturing, chemicals, mining and textile, are particularly vulnerable to fluctuating water availability. It is prospected these highly water-dependent businesses with the famous brands will face the big reputational threats as well as unpredictability due to water shortage (WWF, 2009). Becker (2019) highlighted the importance of Integrated Industrial Water Management referring the fact that water crisis will cause the most crucial social impacts in next 10 years. As solutions to buffer water risk in industry, water reuse, Industrial Symbiosis and Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) were suggested. The concept of water reuse emerged to change conventional way of water consumption (use and disposal) to circular economical approach (reduce, reuse and recycle) within a single plant. Technologies, such as water pinch and mathematical optimization, were devised to maximize water efficiency and minimize the wastewater discharge (Yoo et al., 2007). The development of water reuse network evolved from a single plant-based to multiple user level (Misrol et al., 2021), and this can be explained by the concept of Industrial Symbiosis (IS). According to Chertow (2000), Industrial symbiosis is defined as “traditionally separate industries in a collective approach to competitive advantage involving physical exchange of materials, energy, water, and by-products.” Participants can benefit by sharing by-product, waste, and utilities that enlarge revenue and reduce the cost of raw materials, facility maintenance, and waste disposal (Lovelady et al., 2009). As a similar concept to Industrial Symbiosis, Eco- Industrial Park (EIP) is often accompanied with IS since both are based on businesses cooperation. However, to perform as EIP, there are more requirements to fulfil including application of renewable energy and geographical vicinity between partners. In other words, IS can take place between physically distant partners although geographic proximity was selected as a key factor of collaboration (Chertow et al., 2000).
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Today, technologies of the emerging bioeconomy present one focused opportunity to unwind and transmute industrial operations into sustainable, regenerative work. Relying on standing industrial process design methods, however, may tether this hope to the same consequences and disparities industrialization has already suffered us the last few centuries. Instead, process design methods reconsidered to begin from specificity of place and reverence for relationship may be a helpful balance to methods that begin from abstract process operations or intended product outcomes, alone. This essay posits that drawing architects deeper into the pragmatics of designing and delivering factories, refineries, waste/energy plants, or other industrial infrastructure might support the above re-tooling of process design methods toward kind, non-modern practice. Process architecture is an established professional capacity for working spatially and relationally on plant design in collaboration with process engineering, though it is often practiced more by former plant operators than by architects. When included, the role of Process Architect can also be technically well-positioned within standing project delivery structures to help identify and implement better designs for the substantial footprint this building type has in ecological relationship, carbon emissions, material and waste flows, worker’s rights, concentration of capital, and patterns of land use and urbanization. To invite more architects to this seat at the table, this essay offers a very basic introduction (for architects) to the roles of process architecture and process engineering in industrial operations today and to how these disciplines might support a deeper sustainability in the near future. With a stronger coalition of architects working in skillful partnership with the vast webs of human and non-human assemblages shaping today’s industrial landscape, perhaps together we may help re-weave some of today’s most barren and extractive industrial practices into thriving, mutually nourishing convivialities.
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Industrialisation has led to a massive increment in resource consumption and waste generation, which demands improved management strategies for Waste Management (WM), especially in Industrial Zones (IZ). Thus, the application of Industrial Symbiosis (IS) in an IZ is demanded as a solution. It is a collaborative approach in which different industries and organisations work together to create a closed-loop system that maximises resource efficiency, reduces waste, and improves environmental sustainability. Sri Lankan IZs still have not yet established a proper method to manage industrial waste, which has led to heaps of waste. Since IS is an effective and timely solution for this issue, this paper was intended to analyse barriers to the potential implementation of IS for better WM of IZs in Sri Lanka. A qualitative research approach with two case studies were used in this study. A total of 12 interviews were conducted and collected data was analysed using code-based content analysis. The barriers were extracted through the analysis of case findings using an abductive analysis. The empirical findings revealed 34 barriers under six categories, namely economic, organisational, regulatory, technological, risk and information. The higher initial cost, lack of financial ability, competition among participants, unavailability of institutional support, and lack of regulatory incentives for IS initiations were some of the key barriers identified in this study. The knowledge generated through this research can be used by respective industry practitioners to take informed decisions in addressing these barriers, which will be crucial to unlocking the potential of IS in IZ.
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Construction is responsible for 38% of CO2 emissions and 40% energy consumption. The reuse of construction materials has been receiving increasing attention, including regulations established by the European Union, and cities establishing goals to reuse construction materials. This is the case for Amsterdam, which established the goal of reusing 50% of construction materials in new construction by 2030. Part of the challenge of reuse of construction materials in urban areas is to optimize the waste-to-resource loops: finding the optimal scale and location for circular construction hubs—facilities that collect, store, and redistribute construction waste as secondary construction materials. In this paper, we use the supply and demand of timber construction materials in Amsterdam as a case study to find the optimal scale and location for construction hubs. We used the spatial simulated annealing algorithm as an optimization method for balancing the trade-off between small and large scale hubs, using cost-effectiveness to compare potential locations and identify the optimal solution. We found that the optimal number of hubs for our study area is 29, with an average service radius of 3 km. This study has implications for policymakers, urban planners, and companies seeking to implement circular economy principles.
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Mega-urban regions (MURs) are important consumers or traders of resources from, or producers of wastes destined for, the global hinterlands. These roles, coupled with their concentration, clustering and centrality effects, mean MURs have a disproportionately large effect on the sustainability of global production-consumption systems (PCSs). Actions taken within MURs influence the sustainability of global PCSs, and vice versa; but that influence is complicated by complex governance intersections. Three cases are used to illustrate governance innovation in MUR-PCS interactions: industrial symbiosis in Tianjin, China; electricity production in London, UK; and the adoption of standards and labels for seafood in Bangkok, Thailand. In London and Tianjin, waste capture reduced consumption of hinterland resources, whereas in Bangkok, the aim was to improve the sustainability of resource use in coastal and marine hinterlands. We suggest an agenda for research to evaluate the potential for transferrable MUR governance innovation to enable sustainable and equitable PCSs.
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One of the biggest challenges for China is how to retrofit the industrial processes, which are based on obsolete technology, within financial, institutional and legal constraints. Ecological Industrial Parks (EIPs), based on the principles of material and energy recycle and cleaner production, has been planned and constructed, and is recognized as the third-generation industrial park in China. In this paper, several EIPs in the mainland of China are presented, and the characteristics and experiences of Guigang National Demonstration EIP, Tuopai brewing EIP, Nanhai National Demonstration Regional EIP and Tianjin Economic Development Zone are discussed.
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This chapter presents some preliminary observations and questions from studies of industrial symbiosis in Denmark. The aim of this research is not only to improve the understanding of the complex local development dynamics behind industrial symbiotic networks, but also to evaluate the potential of industrial-symbiotic networks, understood as a strategic model for local sustainable development. The second aim is partly motivated by the increased interest in implementing the idea of industrial symbiosis that can be observed in Denmark. Understanding how successful industrial collaboration evolves is of central importance, both for the realisation of industrial symbiotic projects and for the strengthening of the regional economy and identity, which also are important aspects in connection with sustainable development. In this chapter, we use the well-known example of the symbiosis of Kalundborg for discussing what can be learned from this case that is of general value for the realization of local industrial-symbiotic networks. For comparison and contrast, the ongoing efforts to develop an eco-industrial park on Avedøre Holme, a large industrial district around the major power plant in the Copenhagen area, is introduced. We have studied the Kalundborg Symbiosis from varying angles. Besides research, based on interviews and written materials, one of us has been employed at the Symbiosis Institute in Kalundborg. For the analysis of Kalundborg, we introduce an analytical framework, which is inspired by research on networks in connection with regional economic and technological development, and that includes physical preconditions and possibilities, local economic and environmental effects of exchange activities, and central mechanisms, including technological, institutional, organizational, economic and mental elements, behind the development. The focus of this article is limited to a discussion of some of the preconditions for the successful realization of local exchange opportunities for improving existing production systems. The questions about the desirability of local symbiotic networks for long-term sustainable development, e.g. if, and to what extent, local recycling and exchange activities may inhibit technological improvements and pollution prevention, and the problems of the, maybe exaggerated, focus on the Kalundborg example are also of interest to us, but will be dealt with elsewhere.
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It is well accepted that resource conservation, pollution prevention and cost reduction are all compatible objectives and have received considerable attention at the local (e.g. plant) level. The result has been increased efficiencies, greater productivity and enhanced environmental performance. In spite of this, global economies continue to deplete finite resources at an increasing and alarming rate. In this paper we discuss the challenges of a more sustainable economy in which the demands for products and services are met while simultaneously decreasing the demand for finite resources. We describe how an integrated approach at a macro (multi-plant/business) level can work effectively to generate efficiencies that produce step-change improvements in sustainability. We describe the role of eco-industrial parks and eco-industrial networks and discuss their application to the Dalian Development Zone in China.
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Abstract Industrial symbiosis, as part of the emerging field of industrial ecology, demands resolute attention to the flow of materials and energy through local and regional economies. Industrial symbiosis engages traditionally separate industries in a collective approach to competitive advantage involving physical exchange of materials, energy, water, and/or by-products. The keys to industrial symbiosis are collaboration and the synergistic possibilities offered by geographic proximity. This paper reviews the small industrial symbiosis literature and some antecedents, as well as early efforts to develop eco-industrial parks as concrete realizations of the industrial symbiosis concept. Review of the projects is organized around a taxonomy of five different material exchange types. Input-output matching, stakeholder processes, and materials budgeting appear to be useful tools in advancing eco-industrial park development. Evolutionary approaches to industrial symbosis are found to be important in creating the level of cooperation needed for multi-party exchanges.
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Despite the fact that all successful, documented cases of industrial symbiosis to this day have been self-organizing, some authors and development officials have suggested that increased public planning might deliver better results in this respect than spontaneously evolved market coordination. This paper takes an historical approach to suggest that comprehensive planning is unlikely to live up to the expectations of its proponents.The essay is structured as follows. The first section provides short case studies of industrial symbiosis in highly different economic and institutional settings, the essentially free-market regime of Victorian England and communist Hungary (1948–1989). The available evidence suggests that market coordination proved much more favorable to the emergence of industrial symbiosis, despite the elaboration of a comprehensive policy to that effect in Hungary. Insights derived from the so-called “Austrian” critique of central planning are then used to explain this paradox. The analysis presented suggests that the Hungarian planners’ failure was not so much the result of the bad implementation of sound policies, but the logical outcome of a top-down approach’s shortcomings. Policy implications for the public planning of industrial symbiosis in a mixed economy are then derived and the case for self-organization is found more compelling. The creation of more innovative institutions that will force firms to “internalize their externalities” while leaving them the necessary freedom to innovate is viewed as an urgently needed and promising path towards increased, sustainable reuse of industrial by-products.
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Explores a new approach to economic theory capable of incorporating technical and institutional change into the mainstream of economic analysis and policy making, rather than considering them as residual or exogenous factors. The study suggests possible explanations and interpretive hypotheses and attempts to fit historical evidence to them. After an introductory chapter raising some fundamental epistemological issues, and outlining the structure of the book and its arguments, there are six major sections on: a wider framework for economic analysis; an assessment of established theory; innovation and the evolution of firms; national systems of innovation; international diffusion of technology and international trade competition; and formal models, followed by a chapter discussing policy conclusions. -P.Hardiman
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The Guitang Group (GG), which operates one of China's largest sugar refineries, has been developing and implementing an internal and external industrial symbiosis strategy for more than four decades. The GG first invested in developing its own collection of downstream companies to utilize nearly all byproducts of sugar production. This strategy has generated new revenues and reduced environmental emissions and disposal costs, while simultaneously improving the quality of sugar. Internally, the GG's complex consists of interlinked production of sugar, alcohol, cement, compound fertilizer, and paper and includes recycling and reuse. Externally, the GG has established a strong customer base as a result of its product quality, has worked to maintain and expand its supply base through technological and economic incentives to farmers (and even to competitors), and has had to react to a strong government presence that fundamentally affects its operations. Operations to date support some of the fundamental concepts of industrial symbiosis. Significant challenges exist, though, if the company is to continue to prosper in the volatile globalized sugar market.
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The development of the practical side of the concept of industrial ecology has taken two different but interrelated paths during the last two decades: the product-based systems perspective; and the geographically defined local-regional industrial ecosystem approach. Both approaches focus on material and energy flows aiming at reducing the industrial system's virgin resource use and waste and emission outputs. The ideal has arisen to mimic the model of a sustainable natural ecosystem, which relies solely on solar energy as the input and creates cyclical flows of materials (and related energy cascades) between organisms and in the food chain. It is argued in the industrial ecology literature that wastes, as defined in human industrial system terms, are non-existent in the natural recycling system. In this paper, an application of the product-based systems approach is given with paper life cycles and a basic life cycle inventory model. An application to the regional approach is presented in the regional energy supply system of the city of Jyväskylä in Finland. The paper aims at discussing the two approaches in industrial ecology and considers their contradictory characteristics as well as their similarities. When the basic vision and the overriding goal is the local industrial ecosystem, the product-based approach can serve as an inventory tool to support the project. In this situation, the two approaches would seem to be each other's complement. When the two approaches are adopted as each other's substitute, they may support conflicting decisions for environmental policy and management. This may create difficulties in the implementation of industrial ecology. On the basis of both of the approaches to industrial ecology, the external environment of an organization is considered to comprise the societal material and energy flow environment and the natural material and energy flow environment .
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Industrial ecology is an emerging concept for the establishment of ecologically sustainable industrial development of industrial zones and estates in China. Optimizing materials and energy flows among facilities within specific regions or industrial ecosystems is a basic industrial ecology strategy. As such, life cycle analysis and management and green supply chain management are related approaches. The Guitang Group, a Chinese sugar complex, has developed an embryonic eco-industrial development by applying an integrated approach to green supply chain management. This paper describes the Guitang Group and its evolving integrated green supply chain management model. After summarizing experiences of the application of the Group’s model, the paper analyzes challenges and then introduces possible solutions. Some conclusions are developed on the basis of this analysis.
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Despite the widespread incorporation of sustainable development into policy discourses, actually achieving the ‘win–win–win’ scenario of economic, environmental and social development continues to be problematic. Advocates of industrial ecology suggest that by shifting the basis of industrial production from a linear to a closed loop system, these gains can be achieved. In recent years, concepts drawn from industrial ecology have been used to plan and develop eco-industrial parks (EIPs) that seek to increase business competitiveness, reduce waste and pollution, create jobs and improve working conditions. Despite a growing interest in EIPs, there have been few empirically informed studies that seek to explore the potential contribution such EIPs may make to sustainable development. This paper contributes to a developing sympathetic critique of industrial ecology by focusing on the key problems and dilemmas that arise in the course of developing eco-industrial parks, drawing upon empirical work conducted in the USA. The paper draws upon both an extensive survey of EIPs and in-depth interviews conducted with a range of stakeholders at ten US sites. As the paper reveals, EIPs in the USA are in their early stages and likewise their contribution to both economic development and environmental policy, let alone social policies, is complicated and inchoate. The empirical material reveals that key features of industrial ecology such as inter-firm networking and collaboration in the form of materials interchange and energy cascading are either absent or in the early planning stages. In each of the ten cases what is emerging is a form of EIP partly determined by the geographic setting and broader economic realities of the locality. While collaborative behaviour between firms is central to EIP development if the potential benefits of industrial ecology are to be realised, it is important to realise that such behaviour is difficult to develop from scratch through policy intervention. In conclusion, the paper suggests that expectations must be realistic for the community and location in question. As part of that realism, EIP projects must be designed to allow for a gradual approach, and each phase needs to be financially viable.
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Chertow M. R., Ashton W. S. and Espinosa J. C. Industrial symbiosis in Puerto Rico: environmentally related agglomeration economies, Regional Studies. Industrial symbiosis, a sub-field of industrial ecology, examines the flow of water, energy, materials, and by-products across firms in geographic proximity. Environmentally related co-location benefits often result that have not been a focus of traditional agglomeration economies, but extend the basic theory. This paper conceptualizes the relationship between agglomeration economies and industrial symbiosis, finding that many negative environmental externalities can be reduced while increasing production efficiency. Four industrial regions of Puerto Rico, all with agglomeration economies, but only two with significant industrial symbiosis, highlight the contribution of symbiosis and how it can influence both static and dynamic agglomeration economies. [image omitted]
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Gibbs, D., Deutz, P. and Proctor, A. (2005) Industrial ecology and eco-industrial development: a potential paradigm for local and regional development?, Regional Studies 39 , 171-183. Increasingly, concepts such as sustainable development and ecological modernization have entered into local and regional economic policies and strategies. However, integrating environmental and economic aims has proved difficult, despite arguments that sustainability enables 'win-win-win' solutions. Eco-industrial development is a recent policy initiative that attempts to integrate economic, social and environmental aims in a concrete form. Derived from concepts of industrial ecology, eco-industrial developments seek to increase business competitiveness, reduce waste and pollution, create jobs, and improve working conditions. While these initiatives are said to offer a new basis for local and regional development, there has been little critical evaluation of eco-industrial development.
Article
Industrial ecology is an emerging concept for the establishment of ecologically sustainable industrial development of industrial zones and estates in China. Optimizing materials and energy flows among facilities within specific regions or industrial ecosystems is a basic industrial ecology strategy. As such, life cycle analysis and management and green supply chain management are related approaches. The Guitang Group, a Chinese sugar complex, has developed an embryonic eco-industrial development by applying an integrated approach to green supply chain management. This paper describes the Guitang Group and its evolving integrated green supply chain management model. After summarizing experiences of the application of the Group’s model, the paper analyzes challenges and then introduces possible solutions. Some conclusions are developed on the basis of this analysis.
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This paper reviews the factors influencing the development and sustained operation of regional industrial symbiosis (IS) networks and discusses the roles a coordination body can play to alter these factors so as to catalyse the development and functioning of such networks. These are analysed within the context of experiences gained in the early stages of three regional IS programmes under development in the UK, and of the recently launched national IS programme (NISP) that they are part of. It is stated that the policy framework in the UK has elements supportive of such networks to evolve, and the regional public bodies are favouring their development. Based on differences among studied cases, it is argued that the nature of companies' operations and industrial history in the regions, the extent of peer pressure, the positioning of the coordinating body in the region, and its approach to awareness raising and recruitment have major influence on the progress of the programmes. Finally, the paper emphasises the importance of aligning the characteristics of emerging operations with the longer-term sustainability requirements. If accepted, this challenge assigns additional responsibilities to the coordinating parties.
Conference Paper
Our group has been together for over 18 months and in this period we had two 2,5 day workshops. As our purpose is to develop a comparative analysis of industrial symbiosis in Europe, we have found that a major challenge is to find common denominators (the object of study) while leaving room for diversity on other characteristics (which is why we think a comparison is interesting).
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Industrial ecology is a label under which many linkages between production and consumption processes are grouped. This article is based on a social science approach, ranging from organisational learning to the analysis of industrial districts, in reflection to the techno-economic approach of the developments in the industrial ecology projects ‘INES 1994–1997 and INES Mainport 1999–2002’ in the Rotterdam harbour and industry complex. In relation to the growing attention for regional types of industrial ecology, the article aims to provide a useful social science analytical framework for investigating regional industrial ecology, and to develop a prescriptive approach that can stimulate such industrial ecology. Regional industrial ecological systems meet with static and dynamic issues as a result of specific system boundaries of their decision-making levels. The analytical framework provides insight into these issues through a focus on three phases of (regional) industrial ecology, the production of collective goods, and governance mechanisms. We find that the INES Mainport project is still in the first phase of industrial ecology. To go beyond this phase, the Rotterdam harbour and industry region faces the limits of system boundaries of the decision-making levels within the regional management.
Article
Industrial ecology is a label under which many linkages between production and consumption processes are grouped. This article is based on a social science approach, ranging from organisational learning to the analysis of industrial districts, in reflection to the techno-economic approach of the developments in the industrial ecology projects ‘INES 1994–1997 and INES Mainport 1999–2002’ in the Rotterdam harbour and industry complex. In relation to the growing attention for regional types of industrial ecology, the article aims to provide a useful social science analytical framework for investigating regional industrial ecology, and to develop a prescriptive approach that can stimulate such industrial ecology. Regional industrial ecological systems meet with static and dynamic issues as a result of specific system boundaries of their decision-making levels. The analytical framework provides insight into these issues through a focus on three phases of (regional) industrial ecology, the production of collective goods, and governance mechanisms. We find that the INES Mainport project is still in the first phase of industrial ecology. To go beyond this phase, the Rotterdam harbour and industry region faces the limits of system boundaries of the decision-making levels within the regional management.
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Can the industrial way of life be maintained without exhausting resources, generating unmanageable amounts of waste and poisoning the environment The paper discusses how wastes from one industry can serve as the raw materials for another, thus providing an industrial ecosystem characterized by dematerialization and closed-system manufacturing. The paper uses three examples to illustrate an industrial ecosystem: the conversion of petroleum derivatives to plastics, the conversion of iron ore to steel, and the refining and use of platinum-group metals as catalysts.
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The exchange of wastes, by‐products, and energy among closely situated firms in the Danish city of Kalundborg has become the impetus to and main template for the movement to plan ecoindustrial parks. In recent years, however, similar by‐product exchange patterns have been observed in other regions of Europe and North America. Evidence also indicates that cities have historically played an important role in facilitating the creation of recycling linkages between different industries. If Kalundborg and other newly documented cases of localized interfirm recycling linkages are but contemporary manifestations of much older processes, then what are the policy implications for current attempts to plan eco‐industrial parks? This article explores this issue by looking at the economic incentives that have always led to the formation of cities and interfirm recycling linkages at both the local and interregional levels. A critique of current interpretations and policy prescriptions based on the Kalundborg case is then offered. I argue that current attempts to foster the development of eco‐industrial parks and eco‐industrial networks are too narrow in their geographical scope, that public planning is unlikely to prove more efficient than private initiatives, and that perhaps the most important lesson to be learned from Kalundborg is thevalue of a flexible regulatory framework.
Article
The planting on degraded agricultural lands of eucalypts for leaf oil provides a commercial incentive for restoring original vegetation; a sustainable method of controlling groundwater and salinity; a product that is an environmentally benign substitute for a widely used solvent damaging to the ozone layer; and a mechanism for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. With integrated tree crop systems and improved harvesting and processing technologies, the Western Australian wheatbelt could produce large volumes of high-cineole eucalyptus oil from mallee eucalypts. With new industrial markets, a scale of planting could be achieved that would result in substantial land rehabilitation benefits. Industrial solvent markets are large and currently in transition following the recent withdrawal of 1,1,1-trichloroethane as a result of international measures to control ozone depletion. There is a strong preference in these markets for “natural” replacement products. Although large-scale penetration of these markets would need prices about half those prevailing in traditional eucalyptus oil markets, this goal should be achievable with the potential for economies of scale, genetic advances, and improved harvesting and processing technologies.
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The concept of industrial ecology focuses on groups of firms and their stakeholders that interact to achieve sustainable development. This article presents a dynamic approach to the interaction within such networks of organizations. The literature on networks and group dynamics provides us with contradicting views on the extent to which learning is possible in a developing group of organizations. We assess these views, and apply them to three types of groups of firms: sectors of industry, product chains, and regionally defined groups. In addition, the necessary capabilities of individual organizations to learn within these contexts are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment
Article
The exchange of wastes, by-products, and energy among closely situated firms is one of the distinctive features of the applications of industrial ecological principles. This article examines the industrial district at Kalundborg, Denmark, often labeled as an “industrial ecosystem” or “industrial symbiosis” because of the many links among the firms. The forces that led to its evolution and to the interdependencies are described and analyzed. Key has been a sequence of independent, economically driven actions. Other potential forms of industrial linkages are critically reviewed in the light of the Kalundborg experience. The evolutionary pattern followed at Kalundborg may not be easily transferable to greenfield developments.
Article
This paper reviews the factors influencing the development and sustained operation of regional industrial symbiosis (IS) networks and discusses the roles a coordination body can play to alter these factors so as to catalyse the development and functioning of such networks. These are analysed within the context of experiences gained in the early stages of three regional IS programmes under development in the UK, and of the recently launched national IS programme (NISP) that they are part of. It is stated that the policy framework in the UK has elements supportive of such networks to evolve, and the regional public bodies are favouring their development. Based on differences among studied cases, it is argued that the nature of companies’ operations and industrial history in the regions, the extent of peer pressure, the positioning of the coordinating body in the region, and its approach to awareness raising and recruitment have major influence on the progress of the programmes. Finally, the paper emphasises the importance of aligning the characteristics of emerging operations with the longer-term sustainability requirements. If accepted, this challenge assigns additional responsibilities to the coordinating parties.
Article
While biological systems are centrally characterized by the rate of composition and decomposition being practically equal, industrial systems show a primary focus on production. The industrial recycling network integrates the re-use of ‘former waste’ by an inter-company matching of production processes. In this way it helps to reduce material and energy throughput in the economic system to sustainable levels. This article identifies central characteristics of this concept. Conclusions for further enhancement are drawn based on two observed recycling systems. The industrial recycling network is also shown to foster development within regions.
Article
This handbook chapter studies the theoretical micro-foundations of urban agglomeration economies. We distinguish three types of micro-foundations, based on sharing, matching, and learning mechanisms. For each of these three categories, we develop one or more core models in detail and discuss the literature in relation to those models. This allows us to give a precise characterisation of some of the main theoretical underpinnings of urban agglomeration economies, to discuss modelling issues that arise when working with these tools, and to compare different sources of agglomeration economies in terms of the aggregate urban outcomes they produce as well as in terms of their normative implications.
Article
Industrial ecology and the industrial ecosystem approach (IE) are emerging concepts in ecological economics, environmental policy and corporate environmental management. The natural ecosystem model of diverse recycling and cascading material and energy flow systems has been used in industrial systems that are contrasting to this, operating with linear flows and unsustainable. Understanding the evolution of industrial systems over time toward sustainable or unsustainable ways of operating is important for learning about environmental performance analyses as well as for future planning of policy and management. The evolution over time of the Uimaharju forest industry park in Eastern Finland is studied. First, the system development is described by identifying the number of IE-type ‘roundput’ material and energy flows denoting waste utilisation and sustainable use of renewables. Second, development of the system over time is shown in terms of the number of the actors involved. This structural characteristic is termed system ‘diversity’. Third, the relation of the two is considered. Fourth, the drivers of the case system development are discussed. Fifth, an initial effort is made to calculate some of the environmental effects of the system during its development. An increase in roundput and diversity over time is observed. Diversity is affecting roundput. The park tends to enlarge its activities outside the industrial park boundary over time. While the system illustrates high roundput and high diversity, we can only speculate if these characteristics contribute to sustainability, because of difficulties in system boundary definition.
Article
This paper reports on long-term research work of recycling networks in Germany and Austria from a knowledge-based perspective. Using data from expert interviews, we discuss the key determinants of inter-organizational knowledge transfer within networks. In particular, we highlight the factor of mutual trust as important determinant of knowledge transfer in company recycling networks. One important goal of our empirical research is the institutionalization of knowledge transfer through the implementation of a central recycling agency in order to build core capabilities and to create intellectual capital.
Article
This paper develops a simple model that shows how a country can endogenously become differentiated into an industrialized "core" and an agricultural "periphery. " In order to realize scale economies while minimizing transport costs, manufacturing firms tend to locate in the region with larger demand, but the location of demand itself depends on the distribution of manufacturing. Emergence of a core-periphery pattern depends on transportation costs, economies of scale, and the share of manufacturing in national income. The study of economic geography-of the location of factors of production in space-occupies a relatively small part of standard economic analysis. International trade theory, in particular, conventionally treats nations as dimensionless points (and frequently assumes zero transportation costs between countries as well). Admittedly, models descended from von Thunen (1826) play an important role in urban studies, while Hotelling-type models of locational competition get a reasonable degree of attention in industrial organization. On the whole, however, it seems fair to say that the study of economic geography plays at best a marginal role in economic theory. On the face of it, this neglect is surprising. The facts of economic geography are surely among the most striking features of real-world economies, at least to laymen. For example, one of the most remarkable things about the United States is that in a generally sparsely populated country, much of whose land is fertile, the bulk of the population resides in a few clusters of metropolitan areas; a quarter of the inhabitants are crowded into a not especially inviting section of the East Coast. It has often been noted that nighttime satellite
Chapter
This handbook chapter studies the theoretical micro-foundations of urban agglomeration economies. We distinguish three types of micro-foundations, based on sharing, matching, and learning mechanisms. For each of these three categories, we develop one or more core models in detail and discuss the literature in relation to those models. This allows us to give a precise characterisation of some of the main theoretical underpinnings of urban agglomeration economies, to discuss modelling issues that arise when working with these tools, and to compare different sources of agglomeration economies in terms of the aggregate urban outcomes they produce as well as in terms of their normative implications.
Book
Analyzes how successful firms fail when confronted with technological and market changes, prescribing a list of rules for firms to follow as a solution. Precisely because of their adherence to good management principles, innovative, well-managed firms fail at the emergence of disruptive technologies - that is, innovations that disrupt the existing dominant technologies in the market. Unfortunately, it usually does not make sense to invest in disruptive technologies until after they have taken over the market. Thus, instead of exercising what are typically good managerial decisions, at the introduction of technical or market change it is very often the case that managers must make counterintuitive decisions not to listen to customers, to invest in lower-performance products that produce lower margins, and to pursue small markets. From analysis of the disk drive industry, a set of rules is devised - the principles of disruptive innovation - for managers to measure when traditional good management principles should be followed or rejected. According to the principles of disruptive innovation, a manager should plan to fail early, often, and inexpensively, developing disruptive technologies in small organizations operating within a niche market and with a relevant customer base. A case study in the electric-powered vehicles market illustrates how a manager can overcome the challenges of disruptive technologies using these principles of disruptive innovation. The mechanical excavator industry in the mid-twentieth century is also described, as an example in which most companies failed because they were unwilling to forego cable excavator technology for hydraulics machines. While there is no "right answer" or formula to use when reacting to unpredictable technological change, managers will be able to adapt as long as they realize that "good" managerial practices are only situationally appropriate. Though disruptive technologies are inherently high-risk, the more a firm invests in them, the more it learns about the emerging market and the changing needs of consumers, so that incremental advances may lead to industry-changing leaps. (CJC)
Article
Article
Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1995. Includes bibliographical references. by Nicholas Gertler. M.S.
Article
Despite much rhetoric concerning the implementation of sustainable development within local and regional economic development strategies, very few concrete examples exist of projects that combine economic, social and environmental aims. However, recently, a number of developments have occurred, based around ideas drawn from industrial ecology. These eco-industrial parks seek to reduce environmental impacts, while at the same time improving business competitiveness and creating jobs. Eco-industrial parks rely upon creating networks of material and by-product flows between participating firms. However, it is frequently assumed that the trust and cooperation between firms that this involves will arise automatically. In this paper it is argued that a much more nuanced approach is needed, drawing upon work in economic geography and regional economics on trust, networking and untraded interdependencies.
Article
Economic geography in an era of global competition poses a paradox. In theory, location should no longer be a source of competitive advantage. Open global markets, rapid transportation, and high-speed communications should allow any company to source any thing from any place at any time. But in practice, Michael Porter demonstrates, location remains central to competition. Today's economic map of the world is characterized by what Porter calls clusters: critical masses in one place of linked industries and institutions--from suppliers to universities to government agencies--that enjoy unusual competitive success in a particular field. The most famous example are found in Silicon Valley and Hollywood, but clusters dot the world's landscape. Porter explains how clusters affect competition in three broad ways: first, by increasing the productivity of companies based in the area; second, by driving the direction and pace of innovation; and third, by stimulating the formation of new businesses within the cluster. Geographic, cultural, and institutional proximity provides companies with special access, closer relationships, better information, powerful incentives, and other advantages that are difficult to tap from a distance. The more complex, knowledge-based, and dynamic the world economy becomes, the more this is true. Competitive advantage lies increasingly in local things--knowledge, relationships, and motivation--that distant rivals cannot replicate. Porter challenges the conventional wisdom about how companies should be configured, how institutions such as universities can contribute to competitive success, and how governments can promote economic development and prosperity.
Article
Resource sharing among co-located firms--referenced in the industrial ecology literature as "industrial symbiosis"--engages traditionally separate industries in a collective approach to business and environmental management involving the physical exchanges of materials, energy, water, and byproducts. While industrial symbiosis is seen hypothetically as a win-win situation, there are few analyses of the economic and environmental consequences for the individual participants in multi-faceted exchanges. In this article, the nascent industrial symbiosis network in Guayama, Puerto Rico, is explored from environmental, economic, and regulatory perspectives of the individual participants and the community. A coal-fired power plant, owned and operated by the AES Corporation, draws five million gallons per day of process water from nearby sources thus avoiding freshwater withdrawals and, through steam sales, significantly reduces emissions from a nearby refinery. This article quantifies economic and environmental costs and benefits for the symbiosis participants, concluding that there are substantial benefits to engaging in symbiosis, although these benefits fall unevenly on participating organizations. Policy intervention can be a viable means of motivating more regular occurrences of resource exchanges among groups of firms.
Article
This Paper studies the theoretical micro-foundations of urban agglomeration economies. We distinguish three types of micro-foundations, based on sharing, matching, and learning mechanisms. For each of these three categories, we develop one or more core models in detail and discuss the literature in relation to those models. This allows us to give a precise characterization of some of the main theoretical underpinnings of urban agglomeration economies, to discuss modeling issues that arise when working with these tools, and to compare different sources of agglomeration economies in terms of the aggregate urban outcomes they produce as well as in terms of their normative implications.