Work

Toward successful industrial symbiosis implementation: An exploratory study on the UK sugar industry

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: To minimize the detrimental effect of finite resources on the environment while realizing the maximum economic benefits of industrial production, industrial symbiosis (IS) has become a new strategic approach for an industrial ecosystem where underutilized resources from one company become the inputs for another. However, IS, while designed to optimize resource flows, can often fail and lead to sizable operational costs which hinder growth and competitiveness. This paper examines the key factors and motivations for companies to engage in IS activities. Our findings, based on case studies of the UK sugar industry, focusing on two leading producers and six IS projects, identify a set of five key stages for establishing an IS relationship and fostering the widespread of IS: identifying, analyzing, system reconfiguration, functional networking, and market entry. We discuss a range of practical and theoretical implications, shedding more light on the underlying mechanism that guides decision-making processes for achieving higher level of productivity circularity and efficiency.

Source: Journal of Cleaner Production

DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.146552

Authors: Chukwuebuka Jude Obetta, Zheng Liu, Yongjiang Shi, Bo Yang

Institutions: University of Cambridge, University of Greenwich, Swansea University

Language: English

Topic: Sustainable Industrial Ecology

Subfield: Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,660