Exploring Industrial Symbiotic Networks: Challenges, Opportunities, and Lessons for Future Implementations

Miguel Afonso Sellitto (), Maria Soares de Lima, Andres Eberhard Friedl Ackermann, Nelson Kadel and Maria Angela Butturi
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Miguel Afonso Sellitto: Production and Systems Engineering Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, 950—Cristo Rei, São Leopoldo 93022-000, Brazil
Maria Soares de Lima: Production and Systems Engineering Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, 950—Cristo Rei, São Leopoldo 93022-000, Brazil
Andres Eberhard Friedl Ackermann: Production and Systems Engineering Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, 950—Cristo Rei, São Leopoldo 93022-000, Brazil
Nelson Kadel: Production and Systems Engineering Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, 950—Cristo Rei, São Leopoldo 93022-000, Brazil
Maria Angela Butturi: Department of Sciences and Methods for Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE), 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 4, 1-21

Abstract: In industrial symbiotic networks, the waste from one operation becomes the raw material or fuel for another, addressing concerns about municipal solid waste management. The purpose of this article is to draw lessons from previous experiences that can benefit future implementations of industrial symbiosis (IS). A comprehensive literature review identified 23 challenges and 20 opportunities, which were classified into four categories: technical, economic, legal/regulatory, and social. From the challenges and opportunities, and relying on previous case studies, the article yields 13 actionable lessons designed to assist stakeholders, investors, managers, and practitioners in the successful implementation of IS networks. IS embraces three dimensions: political, technological, and social, which enable insights for promoting collaborations and formulating incentive policies, which pave the way for future research and practical applications. The primary implication of this article is the establishment of a framework aimed at enhancing the sustainability and resilience of future implementations within industrial ecosystems. The main impact of the lessons is that practitioners and stakeholders can now build a roadmap to future implementations of industrial symbiotic networks.

Keywords: industrial symbiosis; municipal solid waste; eco-industrial parks; energy symbiosis; renewable energy; recycling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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