What makes industrial ecology ecological

Asnaes, the largest coal-fired power plant in Denmark, sold processed steam to Statoil an oil refinery and Novo Nordisk a pharmaceutical plant. Some of Asnaes' surplus heat was supplied to the town's heating scheme, reducing the number of domestic oil burning systems in use. Surplus heat was also used to heat the water of Asnaes' commercial fish farm. Local farmers used sludge from the fish farm as fertilizer.

By treating some of its waste, Novo Nordisk sold high nutrient liquid sludge to farmers. Statoil supplied cooling and purified waste water to Asnaes which reduced Asnaes' freshwater extraction. In addition, Statoil removed sulphur from its surplus gas and sold all of its cleaned surplus gas to Asnaes and Gyproc a plasterboard factory. The removed sulfur was sold to Kemira a sulfuric acid producer. By desulfurising its smoke, Asnaes sold the resulting calcium sulfate to Gyproc as an alternative to mined gypsum which was being imported.

Consequently, they will become a significant commercial opportunity, given the increase in raw material prices in the long term. Sharing the requirements between economic stakeholders is also a way to envisage the rationalisation of economic circuits and eventually the reduction in the consumption of resources, waste and pollution. For public stakeholders, one of the main ideas is to strive for short economic cycles, seeking to control material and energy flows on the scale of a territory, sector, urban area, industrial parks, etc.

The analysis of the incoming and outgoing flows of all these industrial sub-systems will highlight potential synergies and also reveal development opportunities. In concrete terms, the implementation of eco-industrial synergies can relate to:. Industrial ecology approaches are particularly relevant on a industrial park scale, within which the proximity of economic stakeholders facilitates these synergies.

Furthermore, the public stakeholders who manage these areas try to make them more attractive. In this respect, industrial ecology is perceived as a genuinely sustainable territorial development strategy.

Industrial ecology has contributed to various ideas about economic systems that aim to improve resource efficiency, i. These ideas have culminated in the concept of the circular economy, which became widespread in the s. Today, industrial ecology provides scientifically rigorous methodologies, tools, and approaches for understanding and applying circular economy practices. About The Society History What is industrial ecology? Finally, a company that is committed to reducing its waste and optimizing its treatment will see its image enhanced among its customers, partners and employees.

Making such changes requires the full commitment of the entire structure. It is important that each part of the chain is involved in this industrial ecology approach so that it can bear fruit. Informing, mobilizing and raising awareness among all staff will ensure that teams are fully committed to the project. Each type of trade can and must be involved in this change since everyone has the opportunity to act at their own level.

It is clear that industrial ecology seems like a very beautiful project, though still somewhat utopian. However, it is based on irrefutable observations: natural resources are not unlimited, waste disposal is costly and the linear approach of economic models is highly questionable with regard to the climate change that is taking place.

It is necessary to carry out a real diagnosis by questioning the field teams, who are in the best position to talk about their work processes and therefore to help to identify solutions. For example, production technicians will be able to identify potential energy losses and their origin as well as suggest ways to counter and improve them.

In the end, the more teams are consulted and involved, the more relevant the suggested and implemented solutions will be. It goes without saying that these improvements and other changes, if they are to continue, must be accompanied by permanent support from management and the hierarchy. Finally, as the last aspect of industrial ecology, companies must ensure that they dematerialize their products and economic activities.

This involves decarbonizing energy, optimizing packaging and reducing paper consumption. Some companies have overlooked CMMS Computerized Maintenance Management Software , which is an absolutely essential tool for industrial maintenance teams. Indeed, if a plant is regularly confronted with breakdowns, leaks and other malfunctions that could threaten the production line, it will see the costs of maintenance and replacement of parts increase significantly.

The next-gen Mobility Work CMMS, a mobile software available in SaaS, then appears as a viable solution since it gives teams the possibility to access, from a PC or their mobile, the history of all the activities performed.