Food for thought: seeking the essence of Industrial Symbiosis

Deutz, Pauline

Abstract

Researchers and practitioners would benefit from a definition of industrial symbiosis which clearly distinguishes essential from contingent characteristics. The definition also needs to be translatable between both language and policy contexts. Industrial symbiosis is herein defined as a flow of underutilized resource(s) (comprising substances and/or objects and/or energy), from an entity which would otherwise discard them, to another entity which uses them as a substitute for new resources. Choice of terms is justified by reference to academic and policy literature. This definition has an underlying assumption of resource efficiency, by contrast to other approaches which mistakenly emphasized economic benefits, which are contingent rather than essential characteristics.

Citation

Deutz, P. (2014). Food for thought: seeking the essence of Industrial Symbiosis. In R. Salomone, & G. Saija (Eds.), Pathways to Environmental Sustainability : Methodologies and Experiences (3-11). Springer Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03826-1_1

• Publication Date: 2014-01
• Deposit Date: Jan 13, 2022
• Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
• Pages: 3-11
• Book Title: Pathways to Environmental Sustainability : Methodologies and Experiences
• Chapter Number: 1
• ISBN: 9783319038261; 3319038257; 9783319038254
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03826-1_1
• Keywords: Industrial symbiosis; Industrial ecology; Policy; Resources; Waste
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/1775195
• Contract Date: Jan 1, 2011