Application of industrial ecosystems principles within small local communities

Abstract

The integrated management of resource flows is reproducing the functioning of the ecosystems, which are using the by-products of one species and are transforming them in raw materials for some other ones. Identification of by-products and secondary energy sources are stopping the pollutants’ discharges into the environment, considerably reducing both waste quantities and waste treatment costs, thus contributing to reduction of climate change, by use of residual energy. The cost of materials and energy of economic units are subsequently reduced. Cooperation generates better results and provides opportunities for economic units to increase production without increasing the consumption of energy, water and raw materials. The idea behind such symbiotic approach is that units are using each other’s residual and by-products on commercial basis (Kalundborg symbiosis institute, 2011). These ideas have been incorporated in a LIFE+ Project (ECOREG), active since February 2009. The Project is financed by the EU and tries to implement the industrial symbiosis approach to the Suceava County (ECOREG, 2011). The paper is presenting a methodology for implementation of industrial ecosystems within small communities, developed by INCD ECOIND based on the experience gained in industrial symbiosis projects. The main steps of the proposed methodology are: identification of possible focal points (economic units), characterization of their residual flows, identification of the possibilities to interconnect the units (identification of possible synergies between the economic units), assessment of the interconnection results from the environmental, economic, social point of view, development of the implementation plan. As a case study an implementation plan for an industrial ecosystem developed for local small communities is also presented.