Network Analysis of Industrial Symbiosis in Chemical Industrial Parks: A Case Study of Nanjing Jiangbei New Materials High-Tech Park

Kai Liu,Xingping Wang,Yiran Yan

doi:10.3390/su14031381

Abstract

As the primary drivers of the chemical industry, chemical industrial parks should be characterized by industrial symbiosis, which is essential for realizing the worldwide transformation from linear to circular economies based on sustainable development. At present, a lack of sufficient attention is paid to analyzing the structural characteristics and interaction patterns of industrial symbiosis networks in chemical industrial parks, especially in large-scale specialized chemical industrial parks on a national scale. In this context, with Nanjing Jiangbei New Materials High-Tech Park as an example, this study applies a social-network analysis to empirically investigate the structural characteristics and interaction patterns of an industrial symbiosis network. The results revealed that the industrial symbiosis network of Nanjing Jiangbei New Materials High-Tech Park is currently in a state of low-level agglomeration with a poor transitivity index and that short-distance straight chains are the main connections between enterprises with few transverse connections. Recycling enterprises occupy the core position in the network, while chemical manufacturing enterprises are mostly located on the periphery of the network and fail to establish sufficient effective connections. In terms of individuals, stakeholders’ understanding and evaluation of industrial symbiosis are insufficient; in terms of enterprises, the obstruction of byproducts and waste information circulation and other factors are the main obstacles restricting the industrial symbiosis activities in Nanjing Jiangbei New Materials High-Tech Park. Some policy recommendations are proposed to improve the industrial symbiosis network in large-scale specialized chemical industrial parks on a national scale, and these include establishing industrial symbiosis information systems for the parks, fostering multiple central nodes, and advancing nested development among industrial chains.

Highlights

As one of the most effective ways to facilitate a circular economy, industrial symbiosis is defined as the physical exchange of raw materials, energy, water and other byproducts to enable separate enterprises to operate in a cooperative manner, realizing the closed circulation of materials and the cascading use of energy in a symbiotic system [4,5]
This of Nanjing Jiangbei New Materials High-Tech Park (NJNMHTP) and that the industrial symbiosis network is developed around recycling was in accordance with the findings of Li and Xiao (2017) [47], Song et al (2018) [48] and enterprises such as those focused on solid-waste disposal and sewage treatment
With respect to connections and interaction patterns among enterprises in the industrial symbiosis network, our results indicated that the connections among enterprises in NJNMHTP are short-distance straight chains with fewer long-chain node pairs and transverse connections, and enterprises located upstream of the industrial chain have higher total nodal degrees and centrality indicators, which imply that they have more connections with, and more influence on, other enterprises

Summary

Introduction

As one of the most effective ways to facilitate a circular economy, industrial symbiosis is defined as the physical exchange of raw materials, energy, water and other byproducts to enable separate enterprises to operate in a cooperative manner, realizing the closed circulation of materials and the cascading use of energy in a symbiotic system [4,5]. This approach can reduce resource consumption and lead to numerous environmental and economic benefits for all societies. Symbiosis has received extensive attention from both academia and government

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion