Implementing a three-level approach in industrial symbiosis

Abstract Industrial symbiosis (IS) involves two or more companies interlinked through the exchange of materials, heat, water and by-products. In fact, the evolution of industrial symbiosis could be part of a dynamic process leading to the development of a regional industrial ecosystem. Based on a regional context, this paper investigates a three-level approach, i.e., individual firm level, inter-firm level, and regional level, which incorporates cleaner production (CP) and IS to seek potential opportunities for improvement in an operating industrial zone. It was applied in the symbiosis in the Hai Hua Group (HHG) of China. The information was collected through survey questionnaires, open-ended interviews and cleaner production reports from companies. Implementing the three-level approach mainly shows that: (1) all the companies that implemented a cleaner production audit achieved economic and environmental benefits, (2) an existing symbiotic network was discovered, and (3) some potential symbiotic links were identified both at the inter-firm level and the regional level. Integrating cleaner production with industrial symbiosis, the relationship between the industrial symbiosis and its surrounding region, and the role of the government of implementing the three-level approach are discussed. In addition, some barriers were identified and possible resolutions are suggested. It can be concluded that the three-level approach is helpful to integrate CP and IS within a region and provides a useful guidance for discovering industrial symbiosis and promoting its development.

[1]  Leo Baas,et al.  Cleaner production and industrial ecosystems, a Dutch experience , 1998 .

[2]  Marian Chertow,et al.  INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS: Literature and Taxonomy , 2000 .

[3]  Nicholas A. Ashford,et al.  Government Strategies and Policies for Cleaner Production , 1994 .

[4]  Hao Tan,et al.  Progress Toward a Circular Economy in China , 2011 .

[5]  Ari Nissinen,et al.  Industrial symbiosis and the policy instruments of sustainable consumption and production , 2011 .

[6]  Tim Jackson,et al.  Industrial ecology and cleaner production , 2002 .

[7]  Jouni Korhonen,et al.  Cleaner energy production in industrial recycling networks , 2001 .

[8]  Qinghua Zhu,et al.  Industrial Symbiosis in China: A Case Study of the Guitang Group , 2007 .

[9]  J. Ehrenfeld,et al.  Industrial Ecology in Practice: The Evolution of Interdependence at Kalundborg , 1997 .

[10]  Ernest A. Lowe,et al.  Creating by-product resource exchanges: Strategies for eco-industrial parks , 1997 .

[11]  Roland Clift,et al.  Clean technology and industrial ecology , 2001 .

[12]  Zhi-Dong Li,et al.  Status of and Trends in Development for Cleaner Production and the Cleaner Production Audit in China , 2011 .

[13]  Helge Brattebø.  INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY - INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES AND CHALLENGES Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences (NTVA) International Seminar on Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Product Design NTNU, Trondheim 1-2 February 1996. , 1996 .

[14]  Leenard Baas,et al.  An industrial ecology project in practice: Exploring the boundaries of decision-making levels in regional industrial systems , 2004 .

[15]  Mark D. Smucker,et al.  Overview of Special Issue , 2017, SIGIR Forum.

[16]  Raymond P. Côté,et al.  Exploring the Analogy Further , 1999 .

[17]  N. Jacobsen.  Industrial Symbiosis in Kalundborg, Denmark: A Quantitative Assessment of Economic and Environmental Aspects , 2006 .

[18]  Thomas Ott,et al.  The industrial region as a promising unit for eco-industrial development—reflections, practical experience and establishment of innovative instruments to support industrial ecology , 2004 .

[19]  Yong Geng,et al.  Scavengers and decomposers in an eco-industrial park , 2002 .

[20]  M. Chertow.  “Uncovering” Industrial Symbiosis , 2007 .

[21]  Leenard Baas,et al.  Types of industrial ecology: The problem of coordination , 1997 .

[22]  Leenard Baas.  Cleaner Production and Industrial Ecology : Dynamic Aspects of the Introduction and Dissemination of New Concepts in Industrial Practice , 2005 .

[23]  Raymond P. Côté.  Thinking Like an Ecosystem , 1998 .

[24]  Brian H. Roberts,et al.  The application of industrial ecology principles and planning guidelines for the development of eco-industrial parks: an Australian case study , 2004 .

[25]  Gunter A. Pauli.  Zero emissions: The ultimate goal of cleaner production , 1997 .

[26]  Erich J. Schwarz,et al.  Implementing nature's lesson: The industrial recycling network enhancing regional development , 1997 .

[27]  Thomas P. Seager,et al.  A uniform definition and quantitative basis for industrial ecology , 2002 .

[28]  Raymond P. Côté,et al.  Supporting pillars for industrial ecosystems , 1997 .

[29]  Kai Zhang,et al.  Industrial ecology and water utilization of the marine chemical industry: A case study of Hai Hua Group (HHG), China , 2013 .

[30]  Ken Geiser,et al.  Pollution prevention and…or industrial ecology? , 1997 .

[31]  Changhao Liu,et al.  Sustainable utilization of regional water resources: experiences from the Hai Hua ecological industry pilot zone (HHEIPZ) project in China , 2010 .

[32]  Y. Geng,et al.  Developing the circular economy in China: Challenges and opportunities for achieving 'leapfrog development' , 2008 .

[33]  Murat Mirata,et al.  Experiences from early stages of a national industrial symbiosis programme in the UK: determinants and coordination challenges , 2004 .

[34]  Chunyuan Ma,et al.  Going beyond the sectoral boundary: a key stage in the development of a regional industrial ecosystem , 2012 .

[35]  Christine Jasch,et al.  The use of Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) for identifying environmental costs , 2003 .