Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Eco-industrial parks
In food-production systems, one way of facilitating the conversion of open loops into
closed loops is the development of eco-industrial parks, also known as agro-eco-industrial
parks (Lowes, 2001). These are more than the clustering of similar plants to optimize the
interchange of raw materials. Eco-industrial parks are industrial parks set in such a way
that business and industries collaborate with each other in an effort to minimize the envi-
ronmental impact, share resources (i.e., materials, infrastructure, logistics, energy), and
work toward the development of a sustainable society. A vital aspect of eco-industrial parks
is the uneasy task of careful selection of industries to create what is called and “industrial
symbiosis” in which co-products and waste products of one industry can be the raw mate-
rial of another (Fig. 10.5). In addition to materials sharing and interchange, eco-industrial
parks can benefit from low-grade waste heat recovery, use of surplus heat from certain
industries, water reuse and savings, production of biofuels, on-site combined heat and
power generation (see Chapter 11), and district energy systems that distribute electricity,
heat, and cooling.
The shortcomings of eco-industrial parks are
Difficulty in attracting the right combination of industries to create the symbiosis for the
park to work in concert.
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Finding investors willing to provide capital to afford the equipment dedicated to minimize
the environmental impact of the industry.
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Realistically speaking, if the park is located in a distressed community, it is difficult to turn
away potential partners based solely on the nonmatching of inputs and outputs. As a result,
even when the concept looks good in theory, it sometimes proves difficult in practice (Schlarb,
2001).
Eco-industrial networks
Eco-industrial networks are larger in scope than eco-industrial parks. The term is usually used
to designate the cooperation by a number of entities distributed in larger geographic areas, for
instance, the exchange among eco-industrial parks, by-product exchanges, and recycling clus-
ters throughout a region or a country. The objective is the interchange of materials, energy, and
other resources on a larger scale than eco-industrial parks with the goal of maximizing the use
of resources, minimizing environmental impact, and improving the economical and social
performance of a region.
In contrast with eco-industrial parks, eco-industrial networks have more flexibility in inte-
gration of different industries and business. On the downside, eco-industrial networks do not
enjoy the benefits of sharing services and common infrastructure, and in most cases, require
several types of transportation among entities for the exchange of materials or energy.
SUMMARY
Food production and consumption generate food and nonfood wastes. Food wastes are plant
or animal materials that were intended for human consumption but ended up being discarded
for different reasons. Nonfood wastes include plant and animal nonedible parts, dead animals,
manure, and packaging material.
