Industrial ecology

Question 1

List the six core elements for Industrial ecology as suggested in the course literature by Lifset and Graedel. Describe for each core element which method/tool, among the methods/tools that are included in the course, that you think has the strongest connection to this core element and give motivations for why, which at the same time should include a description of the core element.

Answer 1

• Core elements:
  o The biological analogy
  o The use of systems perspectives
  o The role of technological change
  o The role of companies
  o Dematerialization and eco-efficiency
  o Forward-looking research and practice
• The biological analogy uses notions borrowed from ecosystems regarding the flow and cycling of materials, nutrients, and energy as potential models for relationships between facilities and firms, a linear or different degree of cycling the external resources going into the system. Is applied at the levels: facility, district, or region. The method most/tool that has the strongest connection to this core element is MFA. Because it follows a specific material within the system boundary that can be a region.
• The use of systems perspective emphasizes the critical need for a system perspective in environmental analysis and decision making. Can get different perspectives though:
• LCA – cradle-to-grave perspective and applying it to management and political setting
• MFA – analysis of societal and industrial metabolism, tracking flows at different scales, relying on mass balance – the best applicable in this course because mentioned.
• modeling – examines human-nature interaction
• The role of technological change means that technological innovation is a central mean to solve environmental problems. Eg. Eco design. The tool to best connect to this would be technology assessment, to see what the use of a potential technology will have and if it will help without any unintended damages
• The role of companies is connected to the role of technological change because firms play an important role to IE as they have much potential in technology development an innovation. It is also important to have companies take a more active role in the environmental stress and not only command-and-control setting between politics and companies. Because of the tech innovation, it is also mostly connected to TA.
• Dematerialization and eco-efficiency mean moving from a linear to a circular system, with more feedback loops, and using fewer resources to accomplish tasks in society. This can either be connected to MFA to monitor the flows, or indicators as they can be used to look at the different recycling rates and inflow rates and other critical aspects of a system to be used for management or policy regulating change
• Forward-looking research is looking at different scenarios and technology to try and investigate the future. Typical TA. To not only focus on the present but look into the future and develop with the future in mind. To avoid the creation of env problems and avoiding irreversible harms and damages that are expensive to remedy

Question 2

Explain the concepts of industrial ecosystem and industrial metabolism

Answer 2

• biological analogy - copying ecosystems use of circularity and applying for industry facilities/systems
• IE: “the study of the flows of materials and energy in industrial and consumer activities, of the effect of these flows on the env, and of the influences of economic, political, regulatory, and social factors on the flow, use, and transformation of resources” (White, 1994)

Industrial metabolism:
- The concept of industrial metabolism of materials is the integrated collection of physical processes that converts raw material and energy, in different processes, into finished products and wastes (Ayres, R.U., 1994). This can all be looked at using different tools, and charted by a material flow analysis (MFA). Through this, one can focus on the materials life cycle, stocks, flows, inputs and outputs into a defined system. Looking at the industrial metabolism from a sustainable perspective means that this study will analyze the flow using different sustainability assessing indicators.
- The industry metabolizes materials and energy and transform them into products, waste and emissions.
- Natural cycles are closed while industrial cycles are open and thus not sustainable.
o Most material “pass through” the economic system rather quickly
o Many uses of material are inherently dissipative, i.e., the materials are degraded, dispersed, and lost in the course of a single normal use.
- Can be analyzed through MFA

Question 3

Explain the motives behind the name Industrial Ecology.

Answer 3

Industrial: Societal perspective, focus on industrial activities such as product design and manufacturing processes
Ecology: 1. Ecosystems as models for industrial activities (eg recycling of resources)
2. Places human societal activities in the context of the ecosystems that supports it.

Question 4

Lifset and Graedel describe six core elements of Industrial Ecology. Choose three of them and explain them and motivate why you think that these are specifically important core elements for Industrial Ecology.

Answer 4

• The biological analogy uses notions borrowed from ecosystems regarding the flow and cycling of materials, nutrients, and energy as potential models for relationships between facilities and firms, a linear or different degree of cycling the external resources going into the system. Is applied at the levels: facility, district, or region. This is important because these flows in nature are important to apply and many of the other elements are based on this core element. There needs to be a balance and a efficient flow, and that idea comes from biological analogy. Natural cycles are closed while industrial cycles are open and thus not sustainable.
• The role of companies is connected to the role of technological change because firms play an important role to IE as they have much potential in technology development an innovation. It is also important to have companies take a more active role in the environmental stress and not only command-and-control setting between politics and companies. It is important with technical innovation for the future, and companies have that potential. But companies are also a big pollutants, and they need to do these innovations with an eco-perspective and not only do the minimum to avoid legal reprimands.
• Forward-looking research is looking at different scenarios and technology to try and investigate the future. Typical TA. To not only focus on the present but investigate the future and develop with the future in mind. To avoid the creation of env problems and avoiding irreversible harms and damages that are expensive to remedy. A sustainable future depends on looking into the future and not only what works now. Very important for the definition of sustainability, now and future generations.

Question 5

Goals of IE

Answer 5

• Driven by concern about human impact on the biophysical env
• Reducing risk and optimizing resource use