Industrial Ecology Principles Research Articles

Performance of Eco-Friendly Zero-Cement Particle Board under Harsh Environment

The increasing scarcity of virgin natural resources and the need for sustainable waste management in densely populated urban areas have heightened the importance of developing new recycling technologies. One promising approach involves recycling agricultural waste in construction applications and transforming it into secondary products. This is anticipated to reduce the demand for new resources and lower the environmental impact, aligning with industrial ecology principles. Combined with a low carbon emission binder (i.e., alkali-activated), utilizing agro-waste to produce zero-cement particle boards is a promising method for green construction. Traditionally, particle boards are engineered from wood or agricultural waste products that are pressed and bonded with a binder, such as cement or synthetic resins. However, alternative binders replace cement in zero-cement particle boards to address environmental concerns, such as the carbon dioxide emissions associated with cement production. This study investigated the effects of accelerated aging on the performance of alkali-activated agro-waste particle boards. Accelerated aging conditions simulate natural aging phenomena. Repeated wetting–drying and freezing–thawing cycles increased water absorption and thickness swelling and reduced flexural strength. The thermal performance of the alkali-activated particle boards did not exhibit significant changes. Hence, it was confirmed that agro-waste has a high potential for utilization in producing particle boards provided that the working environment is carefully selected to optimize performance.

High-Pressure Homogenization for Enhanced Bioactive Recovery from Tomato Processing By-Products and Improved Lycopene Bioaccessibility during In Vitro Digestion.

The principles of industrial ecology have emerged as pivotal drivers of eco-innovation, aiming to realize a "zero-waste" society where waste materials are repurposed as valuable resources. In this context, High-Pressure Homogenization (HPH) presents a promising, easily scalable micronization technology, capable of enhancing the extractability and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds found in tomato processing by-products, which are notably abundant waste streams in the Mediterranean region. This study focuses on optimizing HPH treatment parameters to intensify the recovery of bioactive compounds from tomato pomace. Additionally, it investigates the multifaceted impacts of HPH on various aspects, including color, particle size distribution, microscopic characteristics, surface properties, bioactivity, and lycopene bioaccessibility through in vitro digestion simulations. The results demonstrate that the application of HPH under optimized conditions (80 MPa, 25 °C, 10 passes) induces a remarkable 8-fold reduction in mean particle size, reduced surface tension, improved physical stability, uniform color, increased total phenolic content (+31%), antioxidant activity (+30%), dietary fiber content (+9%), and lycopene bioaccessibility during the intestinal digestion phase compared to untreated samples. These encouraging outcomes support the proposition of integrating HPH technology into an environmentally friendly industrial process for the full valorization of tomato processing residues. By utilizing water as the sole solvent, this approach aims to yield a functional ingredient characterized by greater nutritional and health-promoting values.

Sustainability assessment of products - Case study of wind turbine generator types

This study proposes a product sustainability assessment tool (PSAT) that addresses the environmental, health and safety, social, and economic sustainability aspects from a life cycle perspective. The proposed PSAT uses the principles of Green Chemistry, Industrial Ecology, and Green Engineering as guidelines in the development of its assessment criteria. The developed assessment criteria are expressed as easy-to-answer questions covering the environmental, social, health and safety and economic aspects of sustainability. PSAT also incorporates life cycle assessment impact categories and the Circular Economy approach. PSAT comprises an Excel checklist of a questionnaire with a drop-down list of answers to select from describing the sustainability impact of the assessed product. PSAT serves to highlight the sustainability hotspots in a product's life cycle. The questionnaire consists of qualitative and quantitative assessment criteria and contains a total of 97 questions, out of which there are 11 design questions, 22 materials selection questions, 31 manufacturing questions, 24 use questions, and 9 end-of-life questions. The PSAT scoring system enables users to compare the sustainability performance of their products. PSAT aims to aid users in making informed decisions before purchasing a product based on the information on how the product is designed and what materials it contains, how it was manufactured, how it will perform during its use, and what will happen at the end of its useful life. It also aims to aid product manufacturers and designers in incorporating sustainability into all stages of the product life cycle. The PSAT methodology promotes a holistic view of a product life cycle, including the design, materials selection, manufacturing, use, and end-of-life stage.As a case study, PSAT was used to perform a comparative sustainability assessment of two types of 3 MW rated power wind turbines: a direct-drive permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) and a doubly-fed induction generator with a gearbox (DFIG). The results from the sustainability assessment reveal that the DFIG wind turbine had a better sustainability impact than the direct-drive PMSG in the materials selection, manufacturing, and end-of-life life cycle stages. On the other hand, the direct-drive PMSG had a better sustainability impact than DFIG in the life cycle stages design and use. Overall, DFIG demonstrated a better sustainability impact than the direct-drive PMSG.

How can we design robust manufacturing metabolisms and reconsider the bioreactor?

Biological manufacturing platforms open exciting opportunities to generate new materials, replace extractive processes, and perform ecosystem services through the deployment of metabolic pathways that are both found in nature and engineered. Further possibilities are generated through inter-kingdom collaborations and consortia-based pathways for manufacturing or biodegradation. In tandem, bioreactor technologies to support biocatalysis or bioconversion through novel immobilisation techniques enable flexibility in deployment. The intersection of physical, chemical and biological parameters within a novel bioreactor design will influence performance and stability in contexts beyond the sterility of the production facility. The nature and scale of new applications may invite unconventional production systems, or even consider in situ manufacturing as a potential way of disrupting centralised manufacturing and distribution processes. We may also consider how new technologies underpinning this approach could help us move beyond linear supply chains towards an embodiment of industrial ecology principles. We invite contributions that go beyond optimisation of a single pathway for product formation under conventional homogeneous conditions. Responses to this question will explicitly challenge how we currently design bioreactors through aspects of spatial distribution, connected systems or facilitating novel metabolic assemblages for multi-functional biosynthetic outputs.

A synthesised framework of eco‐industrial park transformation and stakeholder interaction

AbstractEco‐industrial parks (EIPs) combine the concepts and principles of industrial ecology (IE) and industrial symbiosis (IS) to enable environmentally‐friendly industrial manufacturing capacity. The current reality is that many EIPs are developed from ageing industrial parks (IPs). However, how such EIP transformation projects are managed by diverse public and private stakeholders is largely unknown. This study summarises the results of a systematic literature review (n = 61) to identify a five‐stage process of EIP transformation. Five key stakeholders and influencing factors are identified, and drawing on process theory, a framework is developed that highlights how these stakeholders work together over time. While this study serves as an overview of the body of knowledge on the business and social aspect of EIP transformation, the main contribution of this work is the propositions on the interactions and order of stakeholders embedded in the framework, which can guide future research especially on the early stages of EIP transformation. In practice, EIP project managers can judge the stage of the project based on the project status and work back from actions entities undertake to progress the project systematically.

Supporting Renewable Energy Market Growth through the Circular Integration of End-of-Use and End-of-Life Photovoltaics

Energy demand continues to grow with the world’s burgeoning population. Meeting energy needs through renewable sources allows for market growth with limited environmental impact, but sourcing constraints can limit production, creating industrial and environmental problems. The exploitation of end-of-use and end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) options that are traditionally treated as waste offers a valuable opportunity to support renewable energy market growth with fewer sourcing constraints and minimal environmental impacts, but this circular investment has not yet been broadly implemented, nor is broad guidance widely available to aid its implementation. From a business perspective, this paper discusses the technical issues, assesses the anticipated market growth issues, and proposes a combination of circular economy, industrial ecology, and process integration principles to contribute a theoretically supported, practical framework to improve the management of end-of-use/life PV products and support renewable energy market growth.

A novel framework for risk assessment and resilience of critical infrastructure towards climate change

The persistent extreme weather events (floods, droughts, heatwaves, etc.) are increasing the risks towards critical infrastructure (C.I). Therefore, it is essential to enhance the resilience of our C.I to withstand such events in the present and future. Here, a review of current and projected impacts of climate change is conducted on extreme events and on possible implications on C.I is carried out, which suggests that such events can have a severe impact on C.Is. Also, two studies on the behaviour of precipitation extremes and temporal evolution of drought across India are carried out, taking into account the corresponding impacts on C.Is. It indicated that north-western, north-eastern westernmost regions and western Ghats are highly susceptible to floods and northern, central-eastern, western, and central regions are prone towards co-occurrence of floods and droughts. Also, a case study on Kharif paddy yield forecasting using different machine learning (ML) models is carried out, where the random forest was found to be the most suitable model for yield prediction. Finally, we put forward a robust framework for risk assessment and improving the resilience of C.Is based upon the principles of flexibility, diversity, and industrial ecology, incorporating both short-term and long-term impacts of climate risk.

The Mining and Technology Industries as Catalysts for Sustainable Energy Development

The potential for mining companies to contribute to sustainable energy development is characterized in terms of opportunities for energy efficiency and support of electricity access in mining-intensive developing countries. Through a case study of the Central African Copperbelt countries of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, energy efficiency opportunities in copper operations and environmental impact of metal extraction are evaluated qualitatively, characterized, and quantified using principles of industrial ecology, life cycle assessment, and engineering economics. In these countries the mining sector is the greatest consumer of electricity, accounting for about 53.6% in the region. Energy efficiency improvements in the refinery processes is shown to have a factor of two improvement potential. Further, four strategies are identified by which the mining and technology industries can enhance sustainable electricity generation capacity: energy efficiency; use of solar and other renewable resources; share expertise from the mining and technology industries within the region; and take advantage of the abundant cobalt and other raw materials to initiate value-added manufacturing.

Industrial Symbiosis in Taiwan: Case Study on Linhai Industrial Park

Eco-industrial parks (EIP) are a community of manufacturing businesses which seek better environmental and economic performance by using the principles of Industrial Ecology (IE). In Taiwan, government-designated EIPs have operated since 1995, with 23 industrial parks currently in operation. This study presents a case from Taiwan, the Linhai Industrial park, and analyzes the park’s transition towards industrial symbiosis and resource sharing. Resource sharing modifications resulted in reduced carbon emissions, millions of liters of fuel saved, and thousands of tons of industrial waste recycled. This successful transition was possible because of coordinated government support. Key factors include technological subsidies, policy support, and willing manufacturers. Additional explanations for Linhai’s current success are explored and future areas of research are identified.

ESTRATÉGIAS BIOCLIMÁTICAS DE PROJETOS PARA MELHORES DESEMPENHOS AMBIENTAIS EM UNIVERSIDADES NO SUL BAIANO

Esta investigação visa apontar alternativas para melhor desempenho ambiental de instituições de ensino, baseadas nos princípios da ecologia industrial, da infraestrutura verde e da arquitetura bioclimática. Com base na Rrevisão de literatura técnica e em visitas de campo, foram elaboradas propostas voltadas às necessidades levantadas no diagnóstico sistêmico do campus Sosígenes Costa da Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia (UFSB), em Porto Seguro. O objetivo deste trabalho é recomendar soluções paraprojetos que proporcionem melhor eficiência energética das edificações, alternando as fontes convencionais de energia elétrica para as fontes de energia mais limpa para reduzir os custos operacionais do campus, combase em sistemas de ventilação naturais e de soluções arquitetônicas desenvolvidas segundo a bioclimatologia local e os parâmetros de conforto ambiental, os quais são focados na melhoria da capacidade de aprendizagem nos ambientes de ensino. Ações foram propostas com o objetivo de contribuirpara a redução de impactos e de custos nas instituições de ensino e tornar suas sedes exemplos que aproximam as pessoas da sustentabilidade.

Making the circular economy work for human development

This paper aims to re-conceptualise and advance the existing frameworks and practical applications of the circular economy (CE) towards a broader approach to development in general and, more particularly, to combine it with the approach for Human Development (HD). The CE is an alternative to the current "take, make, waste” extractive industrial model and offers a practical solution to address global and local environmental challenges, such as resource depletion, marine plastic pollution, and for staying within planetary system boundaries. Although the CE and related concepts such as cradle to cradle provide a most promising alternative to the traditional linear economy model and its impacts on the planets eco-systems, some of the CE key elements have raised debate both in the academic community and among policy makers. One of the debates concerns the missing social or human dimensions of the CE. Likewise, the HD approach lacks considerations of environmental sustainability. Drawing on both academic and grey literature and the authorsö research observations and professional experiences in the fields of promoting the CE and international development cooperation for HD, we attempt to develop an integrative conceptual framework of the CE and HD. This framework includes social-economic elements of the transformation from linear to circular economic models, combined with HD from the social sciences and development studies. We thereby complement the technological-material focused CE model that is primarily based on principles of industrial ecology and engineering. We utilize the existing ‘circular humansphereö concept to articulate the incorporation of HD into the discussion of CE. By bringing in explicit links with HD, we pursue a double aim: First, to raise awareness and understanding among the CE research community of the missing human dimension in current CE discourse, and second, to familiarise the international development community with the approaches of CE. This will advance the options for adopting CE practices in international development programmes and for the process of implementing the social SDGs concerning HD such as SDG 1, 3, 4, 5, and 10. Finally, we hope that this CE and HD framework can contribute to the resolution of environmental and developmental issues.

Improving the resource footprint evaluation of products recovered from wastewater: A discussion on appropriate allocation in the context of circular economy

Shifting from a linear to a circular economy has consequences on how the sustainability of products is assessed. This is the case for products recovered from resources such as sewage sludge. The “zero-burden” assumption is commonly used in Life Cycle Assessment and considers that waste streams are burden-free, which becomes debatable when comparing waste-based with virgin material-based products in the context of the growing circular economy. If waste streams are considered as resources rather than waste, upstream burdens should be partly allocated to all products to allow a fair comparison with their virgin material-based equivalents. In this paper, five allocation approaches are applied to allocate the resource use of upstream processes (consumer goods production) to products recovered from the processing of sewage sludge in the Netherlands, which produces biogas, (phosphorus-based) chemicals and building materials.Except for the approach which allocates 100% of the impact from resource recovery processes to the preceding consumer goods, the allocation approaches show a resource use 27 to 80% higher than with the “zero-burden” assumption. In this particular case, using these allocation approaches is likely to find little support from recyclers. The producers of household products, recyclers and policy makers should find a consensus to consider the shift from a linear to a circular economy in sustainability assessment studies while avoiding discouraging the implementation of recovery technologies. This paper suggests starting the discussion with the approach which allocates the impacts from upstream processes degressively to the downstream products as it best translates the industrial ecology principles.

Ecologically related transformation of the logistics theory: directions and content

In the context of sustainable development, the need to improve the models of functioning and development of society, as well as the scientific knowledge underlying them is urgent. In particular, an ecologically oriented improvement of logistics science is needed to ensure the full use of its tools to resolve the modern socio-ecological and economic problems of resource use. In this regard, it is important to identify the directions and content of the ecologically related transformation of theoretical and methodological foundations of logistics, which is the purpose of this article. The paper outlines the main directions of logistic theory change in the context of the sustainable development paradigm. These changes embrace the improvement of the methodological basis of logistic science on the ground of provisions of ecological economics, environmental ethics, and principles of industrial ecology, etc. As a result, modern logistic management goals and objectives include environmental and social targets, and wider interpretation of material flow allows to manage the waste, emissions, secondary materials, and flaw components. The improvement of a methodical framework of logistic decision-making is associated with the environmentally adjusted calculation and analysis of total costs, proceeding from the assessment of environmental aspects of flow processes through the use of material flows analysis and life cycle assessment tools. Thus, the conceptual provisions of logistics may be used to solve various tasks in the context of sustainable development, in particular: to minimize the negative environmental impact of certain production process, enterprise, network (supply chain), as well as to form the regulatory framework for the promotion of ecoindustrial parks.

Perspectives for the biotechnological production of biofuels from CO2 and H2 using Ralstonia eutropha and other 'Knallgas' bacteria.

With global CO2 emissions at their highest in several years, mitigation and possibly reduction of greenhouse gas buildup and concomitant production of renewable fuel molecules for growing transportation fuel needs are urgent challenges for renewable energy scientists and engineers. Knallgas bacteria provide a biocatalyst platform for utilization of CO2 and production of diverse and some high-energy density biofuel molecules, requisite for drop-in transportation fuels. The most well-studied Knallgas bacterium, Ralstonia eutropha, has been engineered to produce n-butanol, isobutanol, and terpene molecules under chemolithoautotrophic conditions. There are other representatives of this group of bacteria that potentially have the capabilities for CO2-based fuel molecule synthesis. In principle, fermentative production of biofuel from CO2 could rival the "power-to-gas" (non-biological production of fuels using CO2 and H2) production methods. However, challenges remain for both methods in order to compete with currently priced petroleum-based fuels. With continued streamlining of processes and attention to Industrial Ecology principles, biofuel synthesis by Knallgas bacteria could represent a viable part of a nation's energy portfolio.

Synergistic effects of complementary production systems help reduce livestock environmental burdens

Global demand for food and energy pushes the agrifood sector to increase production which, in turn, increases pressures on ecosystems. An integrated approach is essential to cope with agro-environmental challenges and ensure sustainable agricultural productions. The current study follows the principles of industrial ecology and explores potential greenhouse gas mitigation practices by considering multiple agricultural sectors as complementary industries. The focus of the study was the production of meat, considering the dairy and beef industries as complementary sectors. They were studied as an integrated system in order to evaluate how these two meat production systems can contribute at reducing environmental impacts and make agricultural productions more sustainable. We use Canada as an example because it has two very different meat production systems: Western Canada raise beef cattle quasi-exclusively and has relatively few dairy cattle; in contrast, Eastern Canada, has a balanced production of beef and dairy cattle (about 50/50). This situation provides an ideal opportunity to achieve the objective of this study. Calculations were based on the Unified Livestock Industry and Crop Emissions Estimation System (ULICEES) calculator. Our results show synergy between integrated beef and dairy systems in Eastern Canada resulted in a 22% lower carbon footprint (CF) of meat compared to the scenario where meat was only produced by the beef industry. A scenario where western Canada would have equal size dairy and beef populations indicated that western meat CFs would be 31% lower than its current levels. This study illustrates how complementary multi-product agricultural production systems acting in synergy can increase production efficiencies compared to specialized single-product systems. It shows that such production strategy represents one of the great opportunities to reduce the environmental impacts from agricultural production systems.

Greening Kenya’s Special Economic Zones and Industrial Parks: Achieving their Competitiveness in the face of Resource Scarcity and a Changing Climate Regime

The culture of industrialization through special economic zones (SEZs) and industrial parks (IPs) is gathering momentum in Kenya. Increasingly, the Kenyan private sector is recognizing that SEZs/ IPs do provide an enabling environment for manufacturing comprising of energy, water, telecommunications, transport, and waste management infrastructure that is non-existent in other manufacturing locations across the country. Because SEZs/ IPs concentrate industries in delimited zones, their strict adherence to the ideals of resource use efficiency and eco-innovation as well as waste and by-product exchange through industrial symbiosis (IS) will enable them increase their productivity and lower their carbon footprints while remaining competitive. Unfortunately, the current master plans governing the planning, design, construction, and operationalization of the country’s SEZs/IPs are based on the wasteful linear economic development model of extracting raw materials, converting them into consumable products and discarding the resultant wastes into the landfill/ dumpsite. This traditional linear economic development model is characterized with linear flows of matter, where raw material inputs are mined, value added into desired products, made use of, and discarded with a trail of waste at every stage of the supply chain. Such an approach to economic development can only be sustainable in a situation where the country is endowed with endless resources for its increasing demand and that land is always available for waste disposal. This is certainly not the case for Kenya. As a result, there is emerging international consensus that over-reliance on wasteful linear economic development models is no longer sustainable. A much more promising economic development model is one that seeks to promote a circular economy that is powered by enhanced resource use efficiency, the adoption of the 3R philosophy of reducing, reusing, and recycling wastes, before engaging industrial symbiosis to deal with the inevitable residual waste. This paper highlights the environmental and socio-economic benefits of the spontaneous evolution of industrial symbiosis at the Athi River SEZ in four clusters. The results reveal a spontaneously emerging cluster network within the economic zone that is largely driven by the prevailing forces of supply and demand; an existing intercompany material flow system that is being hampered by a weak waste recovery and recycling infrastructure; a limited application of the principles of industrial ecology in mitigating the environmental challenges of the economic zone; and a weak governance structure that is incapable of enabling the entire economic zone to assume low-carbon, resource efficient and climate resilient operational status.

Industrial Ecology as a Source of Competitive Advantage

The goal of this special feature is to explore Industrial Ecology (IE) concepts and tools as the basis for competitive advantage for business. Past studies of the relationship between business and IE exist but there is little sustained attention to this important issue. Without an understanding of the ways in which IE can be the basis for profitable business endeavors, the concept risks either remaining largely a technical exercise or being limited in its application to the public sector. But an appreciation for the strategic and economic motivations for companies to adopt IE principles, and its associated tools and models, can further the environmental benefits that this systems approach can provide. We first summarize the contents of this special feature, and then provide our thoughts on why the number of submissions was lower than expected. We conclude with the directions we see for this emerging and important research domain.

The adoption of the industrial ecology principles in post-disaster waste management

A global increase in the occurrence of natural disasters is documented. In the management of such events, waste and debris removal and treatment methods are important. Indeed, a sustainable management of the event's aftermath should include whether and how these materials can be recyclable or recoverable. The economic side obviously plays also a major role. This paper builds on a flood experience in Italy to discuss the application of the principles of industrial ecology in post-disaster waste management. More specifically it focuses on the management of materials deposited by floodwaters. This paradigm shows how they can be treated innovatively and sustainably. Finally, a carefully designed municipal/regional plan could help tackle issues, such as the materials surplus that would need to be inserted in already-existing eco-industrial supply chains and the capacity of the territory to return to its status prior to the disaster.

The adoption of the industrial ecology principles in post-disaster waste management

A global increase in the occurrence of natural disasters is documented. In the management of such events, waste and debris removal and treatment methods are important. Indeed, a sustainable management of the event's aftermath should include whether and how these materials can be recyclable or recoverable. The economic side obviously plays also a major role. This paper builds on a flood experience in Italy to discuss the application of the principles of industrial ecology in post-disaster waste management. More specifically it focuses on the management of materials deposited by floodwaters. This paradigm shows how they can be treated innovatively and sustainably. Finally, a carefully designed municipal/regional plan could help tackle issues, such as the materials surplus that would need to be inserted in already-existing eco-industrial supply chains and the capacity of the territory to return to its status prior to the disaster.

Sustainability – the role of mineral processing and extractive metallurgy

ABSTRACTThe increasing degradation of the environment and changing social values are driving the transition to sustainability. Elimination of waste and reduction of energy consumption reduce both the demand for new mineral resources and quantities of potentially harmful wastes and contribute to the transition to sustainability. These challenges provide opportunities for the application of mineral processing and extractive metallurgical principles to add value to wastes/co-products, reduce energy consumption and recycle complex and novel materials. This paper discusses the interpretations of sustainability and relates them to the minerals industry. Four strategies for minimizing wastes and energy – the application of cleaner production principles, re-engineering of processes, utilizing wastes as co-products, and closing the production loop through industrial ecology principles – are discussed and examples are given to illustrate the application of mineral processing and extractive metallurgical principles to these strategies.