Chapter 15 - Avoiding waste and generating environmental, social and economic gains through industrial social ecology networks

Abstract

This chapter presents a brief introduction to industrial ecology (IE), industrial symbiosis (IS), and industrial social ecology (ISE), and two studies on waste recovery and use aiming at environmental, social, and economic gains for regional sustainable development. Case studies were selected after an assessment of the local and national context of two important industries for both the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and for the entire country. Rice husk from large rice processing industries, and gemstones residues (scraps, powder, and oily paste) from microfirms, which are being disposed of in landfills, were analyzed and both products (rice husk cellulose for cardboard packaging; buttons made from gems billets) and process (ISE network) solutions were proposed for further development with main stakeholders (academy, companies, community, institutions, and governments) under a participatory approach. The two studies propose intrafirm (waste minimization) and interfirm (ISE networks) solutions involving companies at level 1 of the maturity grid, and that makes solution implementation difficult though most barriers are related to the Brazilian political, socioeconomic and cultural context. Before starting an ISE initiative, it is necessary that both governments and institutions embrace the project and foment policies for changing the mindset towards sustainable development.