Role of Chemical Industry in
Industrial Ecology
Dr. Parakrama Karunaratne
Department of Chemical & Process Engineering
University of Peradeniya
Outline
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Issues with Present approach
Concept of Industrial ecology & Symbiosis
Examples
IE and chemical Industry
Methodology
Barriers
Industry – For a growing population
Benefits...
But...
Degradation of the Environment ....
Chemical Related Accidents...
Depletion of Resources
http://www.visualcapitalist.com/forecast-when-well-run-out-of-each-metal/
Challenging Environmental Issues...
Learn from the best!
Nature.. A result of millions of years
of evolution .
Nature..Full of interactions with
mutual benefits (Symbiotic)
Nature..Some times deadly, but no
large scale chemical stocks
Nature..There is nothing called waste
Nature..Material flow is cyclic
Learning from Nature...
• Biomimicry – Innovations emulating nature
• Symbiosis – Mutually beneficial relationships
• Industrial Ecology – using principles of natural
systems, to improve industrial systems to
reduce their impact on the natural
environment as well
Industrial Ecology
• Using principles of natural systems, to improve
industrial systems so as to reduce their impact
on the natural environment as well
Industrial Ecology- correspondence of Two
Systems
Biosphere
•Environment
•Organism
•Natural Product
•Natural Selection
•Ecosystem
•Anabolism / Catabolism
•Mutation and Selection
•Succession
•Adaptation
•Food Web
Technosphere
•Market
•Company
•Industrial Product
•Competition
•Eco-Industrial Park
•Manufacturing / Waste Management
•Design for Environment
•Economic Growth
•Innovation
•Product Life Cycle
Wikipedia
Ecosystem principles in industrial ecosystems
Ecosystem
Roundput
Recycling of matter
Cascading of energy
Diversity
Biodiversity
Diversity in species, organisms
Diversity in interdependency and co-operation
Diversity in information
Locality
Utilising local resources
Respecting the local natural limiting factors
Local interdependency, co-operation
Industrial system
Roundput
Recycling of matter
Cascading of energy
Diversity
Diversity in actors, in interdependency
and co-operation
Diversity in industrial input, output
Locality
Utilising local resources
Respecting the local natural limiting
factors
Co-operation between local actors
Gradual change
Gradual change
Evolution using solar energy
Using waste material and energy,
Evolution through reproduction
renewable resources
Cyclical time, seasonal time Slow time rates in the
Gradual development of the system
development of system diversity
diversity
J. Korhonen / Journal of Cleaner Production 9 (2001) 253–259
IE at present...
• At a primitive stage of evolution
• Only first principle is applied to a limited extent
(No waste in nature).
• Making linear material flows circular
• Use of waste materials and energy from one
company as the input for another. (By-product
Synergy)
• Mostly systems evolves around an major industry
such as refinery, power plant, or cement plant
Types of material and energy loops
• Type 1: classical recycling system of products at the
end of their life, implying an interface collector and
seller (household waste recycling systems)
• Type 2: material and energy flow loop system within a
factory or a company (Sugar factory)
• Type 3: material and energy exchange system between
neighbouring companies within a defined zone
• Type 4: material and energy exchange system between
local companies but not neighbouring (Kalundborg)
• Type 5: material and energy exchange system between
companies organized “virtually” at the scale of a region
(North Carolina, Tampico)
Examples..
Benefits
Norrköping Industrial Symbiosis Network
Styria Recycling System
Hazardous Chemical Industry and IE
• Mainly act as a donor rather than a receptor
• Meeting purity and cost requirements is a challenge
• Process changes to donor and receptor companies may
be necessary
• Probably processes mediation is needed between the
donor and the receptor to modify waste of donor to
meet receptor requirements
• Needs R&D. Universities has played a vital role in IEP
developments
• System perspective is the key
Hazardous Chemical Industry and IE
• Recovery of solvents by intermediate parties
take place
• Leading chemical companies actively engaged
in R&D, (Dow with EPA etc.,)
• Will be forced to follow initiative like IE due to
depleting resources and tightening
regulations. Ignored problems would come
knocking on your door one day!
Examples -Dow
• Forty Dow Chemical manufacturing units, including
chemical, plastic, and agricultural products at six Gulf Coast
facilities, participated in an intra-company BPS Network
• Discovered 27 potential synergy opportunities involving six
different technologies, translating to $15 million in
potential annual cost savings
• Diverted wastes include volatile materials such as spent
solvents and hydrocarbons, sodium hydroxide by-products,
sulfuric acid wastes, and hydrogen by-products
Other Examples
• Use of spent NaOH (recovered) in Kraft paper
process
• Rinse Styrene in Plastic industry as Resurfacing
Material
• Sulphur Dioxide Scrubber By-Products to Primary
Ingredient in Gypsum
• Waste Sulphuric acid used in wastewater pH
adjustments
• Steel slag used as a raw material for cement
EEREnformaton Center
Overall Benefits
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Increased revenues from by-product sales
Reduction in waste disposal costs
Substitution of lower-cost, locally sourced recycled feedstocks
Reduction in solid waste and other environmental burdens
Reduction in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions
Reduced demand for virgin materials leading to resource
conservation
• Stimulation of regional entrepreneurship and economic
development
• Enhanced corporate reputation for sustainable practices
• Interaction with other leading companies and technical experts
Conditions that enable the sustainability..
1. Nature is not subject to systematic increasing
of concentrations of substances extracted from
the Earth’s crust
2. Nature is not subject to systematic increasing
of concentrations of substances produced by
society
3. Nature is not subject to systematic increasing
of degradation by physical means
4. Human needs are met worldwide
IE
Waste management hierarchy
Receiver
Prevent
Reduce
Reuse
Donor
Recycle
Disposal
IE should not be a life line for wasteful inefficient companies
Waste management principles
Priority should be for prevention and reduction
– Inherent SHE, D4S,
– Green Chemistry, Green engineering
– Cleaner Production, Green Productivity
– Chemical leasing
Method
1. Identify material flows within a industrial zone, area
or region (MFA)
Zone/Area
Method
2. Match possible input/outputs (Waste material and
energy)
Zone/Area
Method
4. Start communication (Mediation may be needed)
Facility 1
Facility 2
Method
4. Find out gaps and seek possible solutions
Facility 1
Facility 2
Barriers...
• Economic – No company wants IE unless it is a
solution for their business problems
• Technical - Purity/Purification
• Lack of initial planning
• Lack of pressure to change
Future...
Technology improvement
Customer pressure
Depleting Resources
Industry
Policy/
Regulations
IE
Summary
• IE is applying ecological principles for industrial systems
• At present in a primitive stage of evolution. Abrupt
interventions may not work, but fast forward evolution is
needed
• Chemical industry is a difficult species in the system, but can
be a donor. Should be converted into resource efficient,
inherently safe species
• IE is a good framework for achieving decoupling of economic
growth & material consumption, (circular economy) and
sustainability
Thank you!