Mapping Industrial Symbiosis Development in Europe_ typologies of networks, characteristics, performance and contribution to the Circular Economy

Abstract

Last years have seen a surge of Industrial Symbiosis (IS) development in association with ad-hoc widespread policies to encourage more circular and sustainable practices in the manufacturing sector. Developments in Europe, despite having attracted less attention in the literature, have been significant, driven both by public and private initiative. This paper provides an updated overview of IS activity in Europe, with a mapping of key networks, and a study of prevailing typologies of networks, size, geographical distribution and main streams/ resources traded. The analysis is based on a combination of desk research, gathering of primary data from case studies, a survey to IS network facilitators (n=22) and in-depth interviews and focus groups (3) with IS practitioners, policy officers and industry representatives (n=25). The analysis identified pockets of IS activity across all Europe, although varying in nature, resources exchanged and scale and scope of the initiatives. The average size of the mapped networks is approx. 473 members, but the median is approx. 100 members, which indicates high variability of sizes. The geographical scope of the synergies also seems to be dependent upon the following factors: 1) the type of waste stream/by-product; 2) transport costs and 3) market value of secondary materials. Types of waste streams exchanged common to most networks, are chemicals (e.g. chemical base products), biomass and agriculture by-products, wood and wood pellets, plastics, reusable construction materials, equipment, inert waste and water (different qualities including industrial water), residual heat and steam. The paper also discusses key obstacles facing IS development in Europe highlighting: 1) weakness of economic incentives given the low margin of IS projects associated to undeveloped secondary markets; 2) geographical variation of incentives and drivers, given differences in policy frameworks and support mechanisms (e.g. landfill tax levels) and 3) legislative issues that make transport over geographic boundaries extremely complex and administratively burdensome. Finally, the paper concludes with a general discussion of the potential of IS to contribute to the transition to the circular economy (CE) in Europe and identifies some key areas of future research.

The Potential of Industrial Symbiosis: Case Analysis and Main Drivers and Barriers to Its Implementation

“…While there are cases in which manufacturing is the only sector in the synergy network, such as the study conducted in the Val di Sangro Industrial Area in Italy [64] or in Achaia in Greece [82], most of the cases involve several different industries within the manufacturing sector and other entities in the network that carry out other types of activity. This diversity of sectors has been highlighted by some authors [18,129] as being very important for the establishment of industrial symbiosis networks, as it widens the opportunities available. Within the manufacturing sector, the most frequent economic activities in the cases of potential and other entities in the network that carry out other types of activity.…”

“…Within the manufacturing sector, the most frequent economic activities in the cases of potential and other entities in the network that carry out other types of activity. This diversity of sectors has 28 been highlighted by some authors [18,129] as being very important for the establishment of 29 industrial symbiosis networks, as it widens the opportunities available.…”

“…However, despite the environmental and economic benefits of this reduction, the process of moving from research to practice is not always rapid or, indeed, possible. In addition to the barriers to the creation and development of industrial symbiosis, which are often referred to in the literature, such as a lack of trust among potential collaborators [33,116], the risks and uncertainties associated with the costs and benefits of such synergies [18,131], and a lack of knowledge [34,41], there are other more specific obstacles that impede these new uses. Current legislation restricting the integration of new waste materials into productive processes [132,133] and the toxicity of some of these waste materials [134] are examples of barriers that can hinder the flow of waste materials and thus condition the development of future synergies.…”

“…The European countries for which the highest numbers of cases of potential industrial symbiosis have been published are Italy, Sweden, and Finland. All of these countries have common factors that may have contributed to fostering the study of new industrial symbiosis relationships and their implementation, such as (i) a greater concern with environmental issues and the search for sustainable solutions, (ii) the established existence of cases of industrial symbiosis over several years, (iii) a considerable number of cases of self-organised symbiosis networks, (iv) the existence of facilitators through national agencies or local governments, and (v) more stringent environmental regulations [18,21,41,150,151].…”

Industrial symbiosis in the forestry sector: A case study in southern Brazil

“…The literature has identified several IS initiatives in China (Wang, Deutz, & Chen, ), Europe, especially Italy, Sweden, the UK, Germany, Denmark, and Portugal (Domenech, Bleischwitz, Doranova, Panayotopoulos, & Roman, ), and North America (Morales, Diemer, Cervantes, & Carrillo‐González, ). Regarding IS in the forestry industry, case studies around the world indicate environmental benefits in Finland (Sokka, Pakarinen, & Melanen, ), a method for evaluating the quality of industrial synergies in Latvian wood‐processing industries (Rosa & Beloborodko, ), and the potential for strengthening industrial symbiosis among furniture companies southeastern Brazil (Oliveira, França, & Rangel, ).…”