Towards a model to assess the sustainability implications of industrial symbiosis in eco-industrial parks

Abstract

This paper suggests that there are wide benefits of industrial symbiosis that go beyond mere exchanges of material or energy between industries. We conclude that industrial symbiosis not only ensures physical exchange of material, energy and by-products, but also establishes the necessary linkages between parties to enable further enhancement of exchanges to occur. This paper describes a method to assess the wider benefits of industrial symbiosis to the industrial region by measuring the various capital benefits achieved. Indicators are developed and a verification of this method concludes that the framework does enable the intangible benefits associated with industrial symbiosis to be identified, analysed and integrated into a more detailed appreciation of the impacts of the symbiotic relationships underway in the case study area.