Industrial Symbiosis: towards a design process for eco-industrial clusters by integrating Circular Economy and Industrial Ecology perspectives

Abstract

Industrial Symbiosis (IS) is a collective approach to competitive advantage in which separate industries create a cooperative network to exchange materials, energy, water and/or by-products. By addressing issues related to resource depletion, waste management and pollution, IS plays an important role in the transition towards sustainable development. In the literature, two conceptual perspectives on IS can be identified: the Industrial Ecology (IE) and the Circular Economy (CE) perspective. Despite the recognition of these two perspectives, their relationship remains unclear and explicit attempts to develop an integrated perspective have not been made yet. Consequently, the goal of this research is to highlight and start addressing this critical gap of knowledge in order to support future research and practice geared towards the design of new IS clusters. We pose the following research question: How can the IE and CE perspectives on IS be combined in order to support the design of IS clusters? To this end, we first investigate the two perspectives more in depth and compare them in terms of nature, features and relevance for the study of IS. This is done by applying them as conceptual lenses for the analysis of the same case study, an existing IS cluster. The comparative analysis provides insights into how the two perspectives differ, ultimately demonstrating that they are complimentary and both necessary to fully describe an IS cluster. While the CE perspective is more suitable to explain how a cluster functions from a business standpoint in the operating phase, the IE perspective is more suitable to explain its development over time and its impacts on the environment, the economy and society. Building upon the outcomes of the comparative analysis, we leverage on the discipline of Strategic Design and integrate the two perspectives into a process for designing new IS clusters. We suggest two directions for future research. First, improving our comparative analysis of the two perspectives by looking at a wider and sample of IS clusters of different sizes and in different contexts. Second, focusing with more specificity on the issue of how IS clusters can be designed, potentially by trying to apply the process we propose on a real case aimed at designing a new IS cluster.

Innovation as a driver of eco‐innovation in the firm: An approach from the dynamic capabilities theory

“…For example, Spokas et al () point out that the development of biochar has been facilitated by previous research experiences in biomass. Moreover, Lieder and Rashid () and Baldassarre et al () point out that the development of sustainable processes in firms, such as the application of integrated management systems (ISO, ), or the application of Directive 2009/125/EC, for the establishment of ecodesign requirements for energy‐related products, or industrial symbiosis processes, in the context of circular economy, have been facilitated in their implementation by previous eco‐innovations of process and organisation such as the ISO 9001. Therefore, the eco‐innovation process needs the generation of firms' capabilities, including the development of tasks, routines, and teams in the firm.…”

“…For example, Spokas et al (2012) point out that the development of biochar has been facilitated by previous research experiences in biomass. Moreover, Lieder and Rashid (2016) and Baldassarre et al (2019) Doran (2012) points out that the interrelation between capabilities arises as a consequence of the need to develop tasks and the affinity between them. In this sense, Hullova, Trott, and Simms (2016) study interactions among technological innovations and classify them according to two dimensions: first by the order of interaction, which can be simultaneous or sequential; and second, by the degree of interaction, which can be synergistic or complementary.…”

Sustainability reporting, materiality, and accountability assessment in the airport industry

“…Since 1998 and Elkington's statement, known as the "triple bottom line" concept, new conceptual entities have been suggested both describing and evolving sustainable development holistically. Indicatively, the concepts of "circular economy" (Geissdoerfer, Savaget, Bocken, & Hultink, 2017;Ghisellini, Cialani, & Ulgiati, 2016;Kirchherr, Reike, & Hekkert, 2017), "industrial symbiosis" (Baldassarre et al, 2019;Boons, Spekkink, & Mouzakitis, 2011;Chertow, 2008;Lombardi & Laybourn 2012), "Circles of Sustainability and the Fourth Dimension" (Hobson, 2015;Hopwood, Mellor, & O'Brien, 2005;Maydl, 2006;Robinson, 2004), and the "seven modalities" model (Murphy & McDonagh, 2016) have dynamically entered the academic and business world.…”

Sustainability and Dimensions of a Nexus Approach in a Sharing Economy

“…Furthermore, data from literature was used for the validation of the LCA of the industrial symbiosis with insect farming, particularly Marchi et al [58], Smetana et al [59] and Halloran et al [49]. Industrial symbiosis was identified in the scientific and institutional literature as a core concept for the implementation of a circular economy; for instance, by Taranic et al [25], Cui & Lui [26], and Baldassarre et al [27]. The Circular Economy Action Plan of the EU urges the promotion of innovative industrial processes including industrial symbiosis.…”

“…Industrial symbiosis describes a business collaboration wherein residuals from one enterprise serve as inputs to another [23]. It was characterized as a core concept for the implementation of circular economy according to McDonough & Braungart [24] in scientific and institutional literature (for instance [25][26][27]). In addition, the Circular Economy Action Plan of the EU urges to promote innovative industrial processes, including industrial symbiosis.…”