Industrial symbiosis: a sustainable approach for territorial development through the reuse of biomass

The worldwide demand of raw materials is facing an exponential increase since the economic boom registered in the second post-war scenario. The energy and the manufacturing industries are strictly dependent on the employment of non-renewable resources in the transformation and production processes, by contributing to the improvement of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere and to the loss of natural capital. With the aim of increasing the environmental preservation in terms of biodiversity and raw materials access, this study contributes to examine the benefits of the circular economy approach for the promotion of industrial symbiosis practices, based on the horizontal collaboration and cooperation. According to this approach, the waste of one company can become secondary raw materials for other companies operating in the same or even in different sectors, by implementing territorial integration and networks in the industrial system.