Industrial ecology, eco-industrial parks and sustainable development

Abstract

The aim of this research is to contribute to an improved understanding of how Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP) might contribute towards Sustainable Development (SD) in a New Zealand context. The specific objectives of the study were as follows:

a) To review the literature in order to understand the principles underlying eco-industrial parks, its main features and benefits, and its relationship with other related concepts such as Environmental Management Systems and Cleaner Production, as well as its relationship to the concept of Sustainable Development.

b) To identify some of the aspects involved in the implementation of the concept of eco-industrial parks.

c) To identify some guidelines for the implementation of eco-industrial parks and develop criteria to measure their success.

d) To study the feasibility of applying the EIP approach in New Zealand, through the use of the Christchurch Target Zero project as a case study.

Thus, the scope of this study considers both practical and theoretical issues for the effective implementation of EIP, ranging from the broad Industrial Ecology (IE) Framework to the practicalities involved in developing EIP. It has been concluded that the IE and the EIP concepts are relevant and necessary in the New Zealand context, as they provide a means to address some of the main environmental problems affecting the country. Indeed, although the New Zealand economic context may be significantly different to other OECD countries, with far less population and dependence on heavy industry, the country still faces similar environmental problems. Examples of these are excessive use of energy per unit of production and excessive generation of waste. In addition, there is a lack of an appropriate framework to integrate social, economic, and environmental concerns into the decision making process.

The legal and political context existing in New Zealand encourages the use of economic tools as well as the use of strategies of partnership with industry to achieve positive environmental outcomes. It is this last element the one that should be given priority by national and local authorities to implement the concepts of Industrial Ecology and Eco-Industrial Parks. The reason for this being that these two concepts are still evolving, which means their application will demand a close partnership between government, academic and private sectors.

Examples of partnership between local government and the private sector are already occurring in the area of waste minimisation, as is the case of the Target Zero Project. Although its focus is on Cleaner Production, this project has also identified as one of its activities the inter-site analysis, where potential for waste exchange among the companies involved will be looked at (i.e., the Industrial Ecology approach).

As part of this research I attempted to identify some options for sharing of waste among the Target Zero companies. However, I concluded that the information available from the waste audits was not enough as to evaluate feasibility for exchange. Additionally, it seems more appropriate to study options for waste exchange with neighbour companies rather than with companies located far apart, as is the case with Target Zero industries.

Throughout this research I have also found that in New Zealand there are several examples of cooperation between companies in the area of energy and waste exchange (e.g., schemes for exchange of steam). These naturally developed symbiosis support the fact that the EIP concept is just common sense, and that their implementation should be encouraged. It is also important to highlight the commodity aspect of waste. Unless companies realise that waste is just another product they have paid for but cannot sell, the uptake of approaches such as IE and EIP is not going to happen.

In relation to the main question that has driven this report, i.e., what is the contribution of EIP to SD, I have suggested that EIP provide an effective means for moving towards sustainability. The criteria I have used to support this statement is based on EIP's contribution to some of the key components of SD, as listed in Section 5.2.1. Thus, EIP will:

• promote efficient use of resources (materials and energy); • diminish the production of waste; • prevent, ameliorate and/or remediate environmental impacts of manufacturing and servicing industry; and • increase degree of recycling and reuse.

The effectiveness of EIP can be monitored through the use of environmental performance indicators. In this report I have suggested three possible indicators: resource use per unit of output, rate of recycling and reuse, and the environmental impact per unit of production. These indicators are not mutually excluding, by the contrary, they are complementary. In addition, another key contribution of EIP to SD is its systemic view, promoting the integration of several disciplines.

However, it is essential to realise that IE and EIP are still young and evolving concepts, which demand the allocation of significant efforts and resources to their development.