Eco-industrial park
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2008-04-14T15:29:39Z
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An '''eco-industrial park''' (EIP) is an [[industrial park]] in which [[businesses]] cooperate with each other and with the [[Local government|local community]] in an attempt to reduce waste and pollution, efficiently share resources (such as information, materials, water, [[Electric power|energy]], [[infrastructure]], and [[natural resources]]), and help achieve [[sustainable development]], with the intention of increasing [[profit|economic gains]] and improving [[Natural environment|environmental quality]].
The Eco-industrial Park Handbook defines EIPs as
"An Eco-Industrial Park is a community of manufacturing and service businesses located together on a common property. Members seek enhanced environmental, economic, and social performance through collaboration in managing environmental and resource issues."
"[[Industrial symbiosis]]" is a related but more limited concept in which companies in a region collaborate to utilize each other's by-products and otherwise share resources. In [[Kalundborg]], [[Denmark]] a symbiosis network links a 1500MW [[Coal_power_plant|coal fired power plant]] with the community and other companies. [[surplus heat]] from this power plant is used to heat 3500 local homes in addition to a nearby [[fish farm]], whose [[sludge]] is then sold as a [[fertilizer]]. [[Steam]] from the power plant is sold to [[Novo Nordisk]], a [[pharmaceutical]] and [[enzyme]] manufacturer, in addition to a [[Statoil]] plant. This reuse of [[Waste_heat|heat]] reduces the amount [[thermal pollution]] discharged to a nearby [[fjord]]. Additionally, a by-product from the power plant's [[sulfur dioxide]] [[scrubber]] contains [[gypsum]], which is sold to a [[wallboard]] manufacturer. Almost all of the manufacturer's [[gypsum]] needs are met this way, which reduces the amount of [[open-pit mining]] needed. Furthermore, [[fly ash]] and [[clinker]] from the power plant is utilized for road building and [[cement]] production.<ref>J. Ehrenfeld and N. Gertler(1997), "Industrial Ecology in Practice. The Evolution of Interdependence at Kalundborg",''Journal of Industrial Ecology'', 1:1, pp 67-79</ref>
The industrial symbiosis at Kalundborg was not created as a top-down initiative, but instead evolved gradually. As environmental regulations became stricter, firms were motivated reduce the cost of compliance, and turn their by-products into economic products.
==Sources==
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==See also==
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* [[EcoPark]] - EIP in Hong-Kong
* [[Industrial Ecology]]
* [[Industrial Symbiosis]]
==External links==
*[http://www.indigodev.com/Ecoparks.html Indigo Development Eco-Industrial Park page and handbook]
*[http://gei.ucsc.edu/eco-industrial_parks.html Existing and Developing Eco-Industrial Park Sites in the U.S.]
*[http://www.earthportal.org/?p=364 Industrial Symbiosis Timeline]
*[http://environment.yale.edu/topics/4951/industrial_symbiosis_in_action/ Industrial Symbiosis in Action]
*[http://www.zeri.org/ Zero Emissions Research & Initiatives]
{{Industrial Ecology}}
[[Category:Industrial ecology]]
[[Category:Sustainability]]
[[Category:Industrial parks]]
[[Category:Waste processing sites]]
[[Category:Manufacturing]]
[[Category:Industrial Symbiosis]]
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