Industrial symbiosis

Best practices

More efficient plastic and cardboard waste sorting saves money

Tackling mixed waste a priority Improved waste-sorting channels cut back on mixed waste destined for incineration Better-sorted waste leads to lower waste costs, resale options, more staff participation Improvement measures generate savings of around € 6 000 per year Nestlé Purina, a food-processing...
Best practices

Material savings by reusing prune waste

Money for jam... and pits Well-established conserve-maker converts bio-waste into a revenue stream Selling its prune pits to a partner company cuts waste by 26 % and saves around € 3 600 a year Favols is a jam manufacturer in southwest France. Created about 50 years ago, the company has been...
Best practices

Clean fuel from animal- and plant-based fats, oils and greases

Clever, scalable waste-to-energy solution Modular, scalable technology for converting waste fat and grease into biofuel Clean biodiesel from 100 % waste that produces no emissions and radically lower particulates BioGTS Oy is a Finnish company situated in the town of Jyväskylä specialising in smart...
Best practices

Turn wood residues into a valuable raw material through industrial symbiosis

Industrial symbiosis is an industrial ecosystem where the unused or residual resources of one company are used by another. This results in mutual economic, social and environmental benefits. It is a process involving several companies – firms that complement one another provide mutual added value...
Best practices

Making money out of waste in Germany

Waste not, want not Experts pointed out ways for the company to convert its waste into a money earner Selling, rather than simply giving or throwing away, waste could earn € 36 500 per year Chemotechnische Abpack-Service GmbH (CAS) is a small company from Germany, which offers packaging and filling...
Best practices

Selling waste as secondary material

Neat return from a neat solution Market analysis reveals opportunity to turn waste into profit The company can make € 7 000 per year by on-selling plastic packaging at no additional cost The German company Bartolosch GmbH & Co. KG works in metal processing, such as turning, milling and grinding...
Best practices

Saw residues into bioenergy

Sawmill with a sustainable vision Clever growth strategy and partnerships deliver complementary benefits to forward-thinking sawmill and biofuel producer Sawmill and its municipal partner in Pihtipudas save € 1.5-2 million annually on heating costs Sawmill is energy self-sufficient and sells surplus...
Best practices

Industrial symbiosis for exchanging heat

A win-win arrangement for neighbouring factories Industrial symbiosis between neighbouring businesses saves on energy and cuts emissions Waste heat from a metal plant is piped into a nearby malt factory, a win-win Aleris Rolled Products Germany GmbH produces semi-finished aluminium products, like...
Best practices

Zero waste at Denby Ceramics in the UK

Synergy seals the zero-waste deal Partnership deal diverts 3 936 tonnes of waste from landfill Cost savings totalled around € 11 400 and additional sales of some € 125 000 Denby Ceramics has been making pottery in Derbyshire, England for over 200 years and has moved on from the production of the...
Best practices

Integration of biomass energy in the company heat generation

Biomass as a source of renewable energy is used for a variety of applications including combined heat and power (CHP) or biofuels production. Many companies have already switched from fossil fuels to biomass, but there is more potential for growth. Among conditions to introducing biomass for heat...
Best practices

Using secondary materials in your business

What one company or sector considers a residue, byproduct or waste, another company or industrial sector only sees potential raw materials. More and more industries are trying to transform their waste into valuable resources. This can lead to a win-wins for both the waste generator and manufacturer...
Best practices

Industrial symbiosis ecosystem in Denmark

The human factor Working together for a common good is at the heart of symbiotic relationships in businesses too Long-term success thanks to the commitment of the companies and all staff involved The Kalundborg Symbiosis is an industrial ecosystem located in Denmark, where the residual product of...