Measuring the symbiotic performance of single entities within networks using an LCA approach
Arce Bastias, Fernando (Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas)
Rodríguez, Paula Daniela (Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas)
Arena, Alejandro Pablo (Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas)
Talens Peiró, Laura (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)

Date:	2023
Abstract:	This paper introduces the Symbiotic Performance Indicator, a novel indicator aiming to quantify the environmental benefits generated by by-product exchanges in an industrial symbiosis network. Despite the significant advancements in assessing industrial symbiosis, the lack of indicators for individual entities involved in by-product exchanges hinders a comprehensive understanding of its environmental benefits. This indicator accounts for resource use and greenhouse gas emissions using a life cycle perspective. The resource use is measured using the Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment method, while greenhouse gas emissions are evaluated using the IPCC 2013 Global Warming Potential (100a) method. The use of this indicator is illustrated in a real case study where plastic waste is exchanged among three entities in Mendoza (Argentina). The overall results show that resource use and greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by 19% and 15%, respectively. Full and partial allocation methods are proposed within the formulation of the Symbiotic Performance Indicator. The indicator results show that the exchange of materials may seem less attractive when using full allocation methods, as one entity gets 100% of the benefits from the by-product exchange compared to the other. Partial allocations make the by-product exchange convenient for both entities which may encourage collaboration. In conclusion, the proposed indicator helps account more precisely for individual environmental benefits behind by-product exchanges, and thus enables better decision-making to set up an industrial symbiosis network.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MDM 2015-0552 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MDM-2019-0940 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-00734 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CEX2019-000940-M
Note:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Note:	Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-M
Note:	This research was funded by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-CONICET, Argentina.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Environmental performance ; By-product exchange ; Entity level ; Life cycle assessment ; Indicator
Published in:	Journal of environmental chemical engineering, Vol. 11, Issue 5 (October 2023) , art. 111023, ISSN 2213-3437

DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2023.111023

10 p, 1.1 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA) > Sustainability and Environmental Protection (Sostenipra)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles