Identification and qualitative comparison of performance indicators of industrial symbiosis

Abstract

Industrial symbiosis is the exchange of by-products, energy and water between industries, centered on a collective approach, and in order to achieve competitive advantages. It is central to the concept of eco-industrial park and requires continuous monitoring by the professionals involved. Indicators have been proposed and the objective of this work is to identify and describe the indicators present in the literature, and then make a conceptual comparison. In a total of seven indicators, the ISI (Industrial Symbiosis Indicator), from Felicio et al. (2016), stands out due to the amount of its positive features, bigger than the others, and for facilitating the indication of trends. The Environmental Impact indicator, from Trokanas et al. (2015), also stands out, but for considering the financial and energy consumption aspects, inherent in the industrial symbiosis networks. The others indicators have serious problems, including superficiality and difficulty of application. A combination of both would be the best alternative, but further research is recommended with more robust assessments, based on cases or simulations.