Valencia, 13 November 2024
Industrial symbiosis (IS) refers to a cooperative approach where industries collaborate to enhance resource efficiency by exchanging materials, energy, water, and by-products.
The SYMBA project seeks to transform various industries of different sectors – such as agri-food, packaging, wastewater, and textiles – can transition from linear to circular economies, ultimately minimizing environmental impacts.
SYMBA is designed to demonstrate the potential for implementing and advancing local collective actions within EU bio-based industries, contributing to greater industrial sustainability across the region. The synergies created among SYMBAβs diverse partners will reinforce regional, national and European collaboration among multidisciplinary stakeholders, enhancing environmental and economic efficiency.
This approach aims to reduce reliance on non-renewable raw materials by valorizing waste as a by-product, reintegrated locally as a resource in other processes.
AIMPLAS is playing a crucial role in the SYMBA project by leveraging its extensive expertise, wide-ranging network, and geographical presence throughout the EU. It is responsible for the second task of the Work Package 3, which involves analyzing existing IS solutions.
The methodology used in this task to classify and prioritize IS solutions is critical in ensuring that viable and sustainable projects are implemented effectively. This article outlines a systematic methodology to classify and prioritize industrial symbiosis opportunities based on economic, environmental, social, and legal factors.
To begin with, while IS shows potential for advancing sustainability, not all symbiotic solutions are equally viable or effective. Thus, a structured approach is necessary to classify and prioritize the existing data.
Herein, AIMPLAS selected a multi-stage process methodology based on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to classify and prioritize industrial symbiosis solutions, consisting of the following steps:
1. Data Collection and Preliminary Assessment
2. Classification of IS Solutions
3. Economical and Legal Feasibility Evaluation
4. Social and Environmental Impact Analysis
5. Prioritization Based on Strategic Wight Alignment
6. Rank the solutions according to the assigned weight.
As consequence, by December 2024, AIMPLAS will have completed the classification, prioritization, and weighting process for more than 164 projects across Europe.
AIMPLAS
AbdulAziz Aldureid
aziz@aimplas.es