Abstract
The aim of this paper is to address the gap in the academic literature towards the development of methodological approaches to the industrial ecosystem potential assessment. This study is focused on the industrial ecosystems formed on the basis of a symbiotic model and implementing the principles of circularity. The article systematizes the problem of using circular and ecosystem approaches in industrial development. A contribution to the literature was achieved by providing a systemic perspective on the sustainable industrial process. In this paper, we develop the methodological foundations to improve the understanding of circular and integration processes’ influence on the industrial ecosystem potential. For a relevant analysis of industrial ecosystem potential, the existing patterns of system functioning were taken into account, including entropy equilibrium and Harrington model. We illustrate our assumptions with an empirical case study of two different industrial ecosystems, Kalundborg Symbiosis and Baltic Industrial Symbiosis, with an assessment of their circular and integration potentials. The results highlight that the potential of Kalundborg Symbiosis in the field of circularity is realized quite productively, but not in full. The holistic knowledge of circularity process provides new information that supports academics, policymakers, government, and individuals with a more appropriate understanding of the conditions that help to eliminate the environmental problems faced in society, helping to achieve the country’s sustainable development goals.
Highlights
Over the last decade, the discourse on enhancing the sustainability of industrial development has focused on the circular economy model, and the idea to reshape the industrial systems following the objective of a more balanced interplay of environmental and economic systems has gained increased attention worldwide
Kalundborg Symbiosis is the first industrial ecosystem in the world that works on the basis of a symbiotic model and implements the principle of circularity, consisting in the fact that the waste of one actor becomes resources for others
The introduction of industrial symbiosis as a model of sustainable development and an instrument of a circular economy allowed the Kalundborg industrial ecosystem to reduce annual CO2 emissions by 635 tons, water consumption by 3.6 m3 and energy by 100 GWh, which amounted to 24 million Euros in value terms [45,46]
Summary
The discourse on enhancing the sustainability of industrial development has focused on the circular economy model, and the idea to reshape the industrial systems following the objective of a more balanced interplay of environmental and economic systems has gained increased attention worldwide. Circular economy is widely considered as a strategy to reconcile industrial systems with the natural environment through the careful design of new products and implementing the “closed-loop system” processes [1]. Implementing the circular economy (CE) concept encourages environmental protection and social prosperity [3], eliminate the environmental problems faced by society, while enabling value-added growth of industries in line with country’s sustainable development. The new development paradigm is changing business management approaches, behavioral strategies, and the speed of responses to external challenges. Under this circumstance, it becomes relevant to develop industrial ecosystems ensuring sustainable development and quick response to new technological transformations. This study is focused on the industrial ecosystems formed on the basis of a symbiotic model and implementing the principles of circularity. The authors propose a comprehensive three-level technique allowing evaluation of the integration and circular potentials of an industrial ecosystem through consistent assessment of the potentials of individual actors and groups of actors
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