Document Type

Technical Report

Publication Date

10-1996

Subjects

Industrial ecology -- United States, Industrial ecology -- Economic aspects, Industrial ecology -- Environmental aspects, Source reduction (Waste management)

Abstract

Despite a growing interest in and awareness of applications of industrial ecology (IE), such as eco-industrial parks (EIPs), little information is available about the potential economic and environmental benefits of EIPs, the process for successful EIP development, the important regulatory issues surrounding EIPs, or the technologies needed to support them. This report contains the results of a body of research intended to investigate and support the development of EIPs—communities of companies modeled after industrial ecosystems. EIPs can exist within defined boundaries and broader industrial ecosystems in a region. These communities consciously collaborate to enhance their economic performance through improved environmental performance. Their design is based, in part, on an understanding of the dynamics of natural systems and includes features such as conversion of wastes into valuable inputs, cogeneration of energy, shared environmental infrastructure, and the minimization of material throughput.

Description

Prepared for Brendan Doyle Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. RTI Project Number 6050 FR.

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/13029

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