A Development Model for Circular Economy between Industrial Parks and Surroundings Areas
Studying IS and CE implementation to increase resource efficiency, environmental and social sustainability and economic competitiveness in production areas.
Fostering circular economy and industrial symbiosis in Italian production areas
The CE_IPsa project studies Industrial Symbiosis (IS) and Circular Economy (CE) implementation to increase resource efficiency, environmental and social sustainability and economic competitiveness in production areas. It aims at building a Development Model for industrial parks (IPs), deriving from the combination of different research (Grounded Theory) and evaluation methodologies (Cost-Benefit Analysis, Multi-objective optimisation techniques).
Through a deep knowledge of the resource flows within industrial parks and in their surroundings, the transition from a linear metabolism to a circular one becomes more feasible. The industrial park becomes the reference subject with its resource inflows and outflows, while the surrounding context becomes the potential provider of secondary raw materials and the destination of several by-products (re-use, instead of disposal). The project involves five main steps: (1) Theoretical overview of the literature on planning, monitoring and evaluation methodologies of IS/CE; (2) Analysis and mapping of the production fabric of a selected IP and the surrounding area; (3) Definition of the Development Model; (4) Definition of the Development Plan; and (5) Construction of a Decision Support System for supporting policymakers and entrepreneurs.
Exploring circular economy and industrial symbiosis potential in a Southern Italian production area
The Industrial Park of Nocera Inferiore, managed by the Consortium of Enterprises of Fosso Imperatore, is the selected case study for the CE_IPsa project. Located in the Campania region of Southern Italy, this production area represents an ideal context for studying the implementation of Industrial Symbiosis and Circular Economy principles.
Using geographically limited areas (IPs and surroundings) as reference allows to overcome the limits deriving from the selection of larger contexts. Closing production loops and realising circular business models can be more easily achieved in small and well-defined contexts, rather than on national or even regional scale. In this sense, local production areas represent an ideal scale to foster circular economy through targeted and correctly planned interventions.
The primary objective is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a circular development approach that builds upon existing regional industrial strengths and local manufacturing traditions, creating a sustainable resource loop between the IP and its surrounding territory.
Two Research Units with a longstanding collaboration in different research areas
Department of Human and Social Sciences
CUP: C53D23008770001
Principal Investigator Unit
Full Professor of Economic Policy
Full Professor of Management
Full Professor of Political Economy
Researcher in Economic Policy
Department of Economics
CUP: J53D23016630001
Co-Principal Investigator Unit
Full Professor of Commodity Science
Full Professor of Commodity Science
Full Professor of Mathematical Economics
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