Fostering Circular Economy Through the Analysis of Existing Open Access Industrial Symbiosis Databases

Daniel Jato-Espino and Carmen Ruiz-Puente
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Daniel Jato-Espino: INGEPRO Research Group, Department of Transport and Projects and Processes Technology, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain
Carmen Ruiz-Puente: INGEPRO Research Group, Department of Transport and Projects and Processes Technology, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-24

Abstract: Digital evolution underwent great progress in the late 20th century, democratizing the use of the Internet and, therefore, access to public sources of information. This technological shift caused great impacts on different fields, including Industrial Symbiosis (IS). IS stems from the concept of Circular Economy and requires well-structured information to encourage waste reuse. Under these premises, this investigation aimed at processing and analyzing existing open-access IS databases from several perspectives, including types of business areas, waste and new uses involved. In addition, existing IS data were explored with the support of different tools, such as correspondence, network and correlation analyses. The application of this methodology to a set of 496 shortlisted IS exchanges led to several findings, highlighting the strong relationship between metallurgy and the production of cement, the key role played by the electricity production sector both as a donor and a recipient, the versatility of the agriculture area due to their capacity for reusing a variety of waste as fertilizers and the importance of chemical products and steam and hot water as new uses. Overall, these results provide companies with efficient and understandable knowledge to donate or receive materials.

Keywords: business sector; circular economy; donor company; industrial symbiosis; raw materials; recipient company; resource exchange; synergy; waste (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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