Eco-innovation opportunities in the waste management sector in Scotland

Creating more circular economies that retain and recirculate the value of resources within an economy is gaining significant attention, with the concept of industrial symbiosis assisting businesses to reduce resource leakage from local economies. An eco-industrial park applies industrial symbiosis on the scale of an industrial park and may incorporate additional features such as shared infrastructure and services that assist in reducing environmental impacts and improving resource efficiency. This paper provides an overview of the application of the industrial symbiosis concept in Scotland and presents findings of the ACE Eco-Partnerships project, which attempted to identify and develop opportunities for industrial symbiosis in the Tayside and Fife region of Scotland, particularly on the scale of eco-industrial parks. The paper provides reflection on some of the barriers to eco-industrial park development, with specific reference to “retrofitting” industrial symbiosis onto existing industrial parks versus developing new eco-industrial parks.