Industrial symbiosis (IS) can contribute to achieving a win-win situation between industry and environment for local and regional circular economies. Many authors have recognized that a variety of barriers can hinder the implementation of industrial symbiosis (IS) and eco-industrial development. It is imperative to understand and prioritize the barriers which will provide guidance for the realization of IS projects and assist practitioners and stakeholders with more effective implementation. This, in turn, will contribute to development of circular economies. Through an extensive literature review, this paper proposes a model which combines the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to evaluate the IS barriers semi-quantitatively. This model assists in identifying and prioritizing the fundamental barriers for implementation of IS in a comprehensive manner. An operating IS, the Hai Hua Group (HHG), in Shandong Province, China is used as a case study to test the proposed model. The results show that the top four generic barriers are technological, economic, safety, and informational barriers. More specifically, the barriers are information platforms, human safety and health, technology involved with extending industrial chains, product added value, and costs. The paper concludes by discussing managerial implications for promoting the establishment and operation of IS.
Industrial symbiosis (IS) has been well-recognized as a key subfield of industrial ecology (IE) [1][2]. A widely cited definition of IS is presented by Chertow [1]:“engaging traditionally separate entities in a collective approach to competitive advantage involving physical exchange of materials[1, energy, water, and by-products2]. The keys to IS are collaboration and the synergistic possibilities offered by geographic proximity” (p. 314). IS researIS research is flourishing and has covered a broad range of topics and cases [3]. IS helps to increase the industrial system’s circularity [4] and is considered to be a circular economic business model [5]. It can often create economic, environmental, and social benefits [4][6][7][4,6,7], which assists in promoting local and regional sustainable development [8]. In recent years, IS has been considered to be a core strategy [6][9][10][6,9,10] and a key practical approach to promote the circular economy (CE) [4][11][4,11]. Fraccascia and Yazan [11] have argued that the catalytic role of IS in achieving a circular economy should be encouraged. In China, IS has been incorporated into national policies that were specifically formulated for CE, and has been identified as a key element for promoting national CE development [12], especially at the mesolevel [13].
InA generval, the current research on identifyingriety of barriers related to IS can be mainly divided into three groups, i.e., specific barriers, generic barriers, and evaluation of barriers using mathematical methods. They are summarized in Table 1.
have been identified [3,4,6,9,14–17], which will influence the viability of IS and eco-industrial development [1]. Barriers for ISom have researchersbeen identified some specific barriers related to IS from different perspectives, such as institutional barrieras one of the key topics which current IS research addresses [24][25][26],[18] organizational perspectived are in [3], enviuronmgental regulation barriers [27], an need sectoral boundary barrier [28]. They f being exare summarized in Table 1ined [4,6].
The gopeneric barriers related to IS were also put forward by some researchers. Some of these studies chose some IS or EIP cases to identify barriers, such as the Kwinana and Gladstone of Australiaration of IS remains a complex and dynamic process [2,19], which requires continuous improvement [2,20]. Cervo et al. [15][17],[4] the industrial estates of Canada [29], essed that the Ulsan EIP p“croject of Koreeation of a [30], and the EIPs ymbiof China [31]. Thesise generic barriers are listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Identification of barriers related to IS.
Categorization of IS Barriers | Descriptions | References |
---|---|---|
Identification of specific barriers |
|
[24][25][26] |
|
[3] | |
|
[32] | |
|
[33] | |
|
[34] | |
|
[35] | |
|
[27] | |
|
[36] | |
|
[28] | |
|
[37] | |
|
[38] | |
|
[39] | |
Identification of generic barriers |
|
[40] |
|
[17] | |
|
[41] | |
|
[29] | |
|
[42] | |
|
[30] | |
|
[43] | |
|
[31] | |
|
[15] | |
|
[44] | |
|
[45] | |
|
[14] | |
Evaluation of barriers using mathematical methods |
|
[15] |
|
[31] | |
|
[14] | |
|
[2 |
A few is a multi-step procesearchers have introduced mathematical methods to evaluate the barriers of IS. Golev et al.s that goes from the identification of an opportunity to its implementation and [15] proposed a qualitative method, the IS maturity grid, to analyze IS barriers. It was concluded that the method is helpful for determinration” (p. 6). When organizations implement IS, it is important to start from understanding the most critical nontechnical barriers which influence the development of a regional IS and identifying mitigation measures to remove the most critical identified that they could face [21]. For operating industrial symbioses, there are still barriers. Zhu et al. [31] hintroduced a factor analysis and cluster analysis to evaluate a number of barriers for EIP ering their full potential development of China. Bacudio et al.[15,17,22]. Barriers can arise at different phases [14] adoptedf the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method to identify barriers and concluded that it assists in detecting whichsymbiotic development and the importance of a barriers can be categorized as cause or effect factors. Based on the work of Bacudio et al will vary at different stages of the process [2,15]. [14]Thus, Promentilla et al.t is [23] imperoposed a methodological framework to analyative to prioritize the barriers for an EIP in the Philippines. The related contents are also listed in Table 1.
Iwhich hinder the implementation and the current IE field, the literature on barriers related to IS, can be arranged into seven generic categories. Many barriers have been identified. These are referred to as specific barriers. It has been attempted to combine these into generic categories.
Concerns abodevelopment of IS [2,15,20,23]. This will provide guidance for the realization of IS projects [18] and assist stakeholders and IS practitioners to create policies aiming at the fundamental barriers to improve the development of IS [14], which coutld the technical feasibility of waste exchange can be a barrier for IS [43][45]. Valso facilitate the transition to CE. However, from an Beers et al.xtensive literature review, [17]it nshotedws that IS concerns the capture, recovery, and reuse of byproducts. They reported that many potential IS opportunities have been prevented from being realized because of technology challenges, such as availability of (reliable) recovery technologies [17]the current research related to IS barriers is mainly qualitative. LiEvalu et al. [58] menationed some technicalof the IS barriers associated with waste water regeneration and solid waste reutilization. Gibbs [42] pis still very limiterceived the possibility that local companies have no potential to ‘fit together’ as an example of technical. Only one paper was found examining the barriers. In addition, lack of evaluation technique related to IS has received attention by some researchers. Costa et al. [59] using an operating IS as a case study [15]. Furthermore, the barriempharsized lack of evaluation of the potential recycling function of manufacturing technologies already in place as a challenging technologicaled are still focused on generic barrier. Sakr et al.s. No literature has [40]been cfonsideredund that “the lack of local technical know-how capable of identifying and evaluating IS opportunities” (p. 1166) is an important technical issue.
Cogniutilizes a model designed as a hierarchical struction our perception is identified as one of thee embracing both the generic and the specific IS barriers.
To forill the development of IS by some researchers [45][64]. Manganp, and Olivettithis [45] papointed out that waste is often perceived as something with negative connotations by companies. This makes companies unwilling to focus on waste and participate in IS relationships [45]. Ehrenr aims to uncover the nature of the various barriers and identifeldy and Gertletheir [64] arsigued that nit is difficult for companies to integrate wastes into their strategic processes because wastes have a long history of being ignored. Notarnicola et al. [22] foficance in a semi-quantitative manner. A hierarchical evalund that a main constraint for IS implementation is that the strategic approach of companies is highly oriented to the primary product with a focus on core business. In this circumstance, the waste is regarded as something to be disposed of quickion model which combines the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is utilized in this study to systematically [22]. Some vauthors found that one of luate the barriers in enabl. An operating IS is that companies lack understanding of concepts, principles, potential benefits, and cooperation related to IS activities, the IS of Hai Hua Group (HHG) of China is taken as a case study to test [29][34][37][39][40].
Somthe presearchers argued that there may be motivational barriers wherein stakeholders must be willing to cooperate [34][42][44]. In thioposed model. The study results should provide managers with insights for addres respect, theing barriers may be a lack of trust [42][43][44]. Gibbs [42] alsto impro notved that a lack of trust would inhibit the establishment of a symbiotic relationship. Compared with Dutch industry, Heeres et al. [43] f the operation of IS. In this paper, we have included ecou-ind that when participating in EIP projects, US companies have more distrust towards the local government that acts as theustrial parks (EIPs) in the discussion of IS because most EIP project promoter. Lehtoranta et al. [49] ss and stuggdiested that creation of trust is more challenging for larger regions when attempting to implement IS have focused on symbiotic relationships among industries.
CThertow [63] a strgued that concern about the use of industrial byproducts, especially in symbioses involving agriculture, needs to be carefully examined because it is an important environmental and health issue. This means that an IS relationship focusing on utilizing wastes may be hindered if it can cause safety problems for environment and human health. Chertowcture of the Group AHP-TOPSIS Model proposed in this paper to systematically uncover [63] further pointed out that there is still no widely reported evidence of environmental health problems resulting from byproduct exchanges that has been found. In a case study of IS around the Gulf of Bothnia, Salmi et alriority of various barriers for an operating IS is shown in Figure 1. [27] fouAnd thate while there were no significant technological barriers on utilization of wastes around that region, from an ecological point of view, they argued that the marine transport of hazardous materials across the open sea during winter is certainly risky and recommended that a risk assessment on marine transport should be conductedhierarchical structure for IS barriers of HHG, which is composed of 7 generic barriers and 23 specific barriers is shown is Figure [27]2.
Tabl
Figure 21. CThe flassification of IS barriersow chart of the Group AHP-TOPSIS Model.
Categories of Barriers |
---|
Type of Barrier |
---|
References |
---|
Governmental barriers |
|
[3][47][49][64][65] | ||
|
- | |
|
[15][17][26][27][29][38][41][43][45][50][51][52][65][66] | |
|
[25] | |
|
[25][28][41] | |
Economic barriers |
|
[3][17][27][41][65] |
|
[3][49][57] | |
|
[42][45][56] | |
Technological barriers |
|
[17][58] |
|
[40][42][59] | |
Organizational barriers |
|
[3][29][40][41][43][50] |
|
[41][50] | |
|
[43][54] | |
Informational barriers |
|
[39][41][42][43][56][63] |
|
[29][40] | |
Cognitive barriers |
|
[22][29][34][37][39][40][45][64] |
Motivational barriers |
|
[42][43][44][49] |
Safety barriers |
|
[63] |
|
[27][63] |
Figure 2. Hioritizing the erarchical structure for IS barriers inof a HHG.
From an extensive literature review, it can be seen tThat the current research related to IS barriers is mainly qualitative. Evaluation of the IS barriers is still very limited. It is imperative to prioritize the barriers in a comprehensive manner with more case studies. There has one study which prois paper proposed a Group AHP-TOPSIS Model to semi-quantitatively evaluate the barriers which impede the implementation of IS [67]. The model is designed as a two-level hierarchical structure, which assists in identifying the degrees of importance of generic barriers and the specific barriers corresponding to their generic barriers. AThis helps to un operating IS of Chincover the barriers of IS in a more comprehensive manner.
Taking is taken as a case to test the proposed modelHHG as a case study, it is found that a variety of barriers exist for this operating IS, which hinders the establishment and operation of IS and transition to CE. Applying this model to HHG demonstrates that it assists in prioritizing the different barriers. It shows that at the generic barriers level, the top four degrees of importance of generic barriers are technological barriers, economic barriers, safety barriers, and informational barriers. Technological barriers are the most important generic barrier for the IS of HHG and should be given the most attention to be managed or eliminated. The top five specific barriers are information platform barriers, human safety and health barriers, technology of extending industrial chain barriers, product added value barriers, and cost barriers. Information platform barriers are the most important specific barrier and should be emphasized. This demonstrates that the model assists in prioritizing the different barriers in a comprehensive manner. In the future, more research on prioritizing the IS barriere work of this paper is one of the first to be undertaken to examine the barriers to an operating IS using mathematical methods with a case studies from different countries needs to be developed. This will help toy. It provides empirical evidence for the study of IS barriers studies and should be helpful for managers, decision-makers, and policy planners to understand the IS barriers, focus on several critical barriers, and set comprehensive efforts for improving the operation of an IS, which could facilitate the transition to a CE.
This study still has limitations; future research can be further extended ircular economyn the following aspects. First, the results of the study are from one single industrial symbiosis which is operating in China; more industrial symbioses from different countries should be investigated with this model in future research. Secondly, while this model focused on an operating symbiosis, it could be combined with the maturity grid proposed by Golev et al. [15], allowing researchers to delve into yet more detail. Thirdly, this paper focused on evaluating the barriers and did not put forward measures to manage or remove the barriers. The two-level hierarchy structure included in the model should be helpful to managers for identifying more targeted measures for managing or removing these barriers. In the future, the model can be further applied and tested on other cases.