xviii
developing world. Efforts in the global South have primarily focussed on cleaner
production and eco-industrial parks (an application of the industrial symbiosis
approach explored in Chap. 5 ), but awareness of the long-term socio-economic
metabolism effects discussed in Chap. 6 is essential. Lack of essential data to inform
policy is a common problem, and Shenoy suggests that industrial ecology thinking
should be able to fi nd simplifi ed ways to collect and present data on economic and
environmental performance.
Along with life cycle assessment, material fl ow analysis (MFA) is an essential
tool in the industrial ecologist’s kit. In Chap. 12 , Yuichi Moriguchi and Seiji
Hashimoto outline the development of MFA since the pioneering work of Robert
Ayres and go on to show how MFA is already used to support waste management
and recycling policy. They describe how in Japan, in particular, MFA has always
been seen as one of the tools guiding policy for a circular economy. International
efforts are needed to standardise compilation of MFA data. Input-output analysis,
the approach mainly discussed in Chap. 8 , is increasingly used as a way to estimate
and represent material fl ows.
Following the general essays in Part I outlined above, Part II contains contributions on more specifi c areas and applications of industrial ecology.
The ‘circular economy’ is an increasingly popular concept with policy-makers
and industrialists. Despite its fl aws, discussed in Chap. 7 , it is an approach which
enables companies to implement some of the principles that are at the heart of
industrial ecology. As such, the circular economy has been adopted as a model by
countries as far apart as China (see Chaps. 5 and 12 ) and the nations of the European
Union (EU). To demonstrate how EU policies are implemented in practice, in
Chap. 13 , Julie Hill discusses how the four administrations that make up the UK
(England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) have implemented EU policies on
the circular economy.
In Chap. 14 , Paulo Ferrão, António Lorena and Paulo Ribeiro set out how one of
the most direct applications of industrial ecology in public policy – Portugal’s
National Waste Management Plan – was developed in partnership between the
Portuguese Environment Agency and the Instituto Superior Técnico of the University
of Lisbon. The need for a life cycle approach to underpin waste management policies was recognised from the outset, leading to promotion of a circular economy to
contribute to increasing resource effi ciency. The benefi ts include reductions in the
quantity of waste sent to landfi ll, increase in recycling of solid waste due to selective
collection and more effi cient recovery and treatment, leading to almost halving the
GHG emissions associated with waste management. This is a benchmark example
of what can be achieved by cooperation between government, academia and the
private sector in applying industrial ecology thinking.
In Chap. 15 , Sarah Sim, Henry King and Edward Price explain how scientifi c
analysis is used to guide strategy in a major multinational company in the ‘fastmoving consumer goods’ (FMCG) sector. Unilever has a track record as a leader in
applying life cycle thinking – LCA has been used for the design of many products,
and the company’s ‘Sustainable Living Plan’ includes extensive product footprinting. Sim and her colleagues foresee that the company will continue to use life cycle
Introduction
developing world. Efforts in the global South have primarily focussed on cleaner
production and eco-industrial parks (an application of the industrial symbiosis
approach explored in Chap. 5 ), but awareness of the long-term socio-economic
metabolism effects discussed in Chap. 6 is essential. Lack of essential data to inform
policy is a common problem, and Shenoy suggests that industrial ecology thinking
should be able to fi nd simplifi ed ways to collect and present data on economic and
environmental performance.
Along with life cycle assessment, material fl ow analysis (MFA) is an essential
tool in the industrial ecologist’s kit. In Chap. 12 , Yuichi Moriguchi and Seiji
Hashimoto outline the development of MFA since the pioneering work of Robert
Ayres and go on to show how MFA is already used to support waste management
and recycling policy. They describe how in Japan, in particular, MFA has always
been seen as one of the tools guiding policy for a circular economy. International
efforts are needed to standardise compilation of MFA data. Input-output analysis,
the approach mainly discussed in Chap. 8 , is increasingly used as a way to estimate
and represent material fl ows.
Following the general essays in Part I outlined above, Part II contains contributions on more specifi c areas and applications of industrial ecology.
The ‘circular economy’ is an increasingly popular concept with policy-makers
and industrialists. Despite its fl aws, discussed in Chap. 7 , it is an approach which
enables companies to implement some of the principles that are at the heart of
industrial ecology. As such, the circular economy has been adopted as a model by
countries as far apart as China (see Chaps. 5 and 12 ) and the nations of the European
Union (EU). To demonstrate how EU policies are implemented in practice, in
Chap. 13 , Julie Hill discusses how the four administrations that make up the UK
(England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) have implemented EU policies on
the circular economy.
In Chap. 14 , Paulo Ferrão, António Lorena and Paulo Ribeiro set out how one of
the most direct applications of industrial ecology in public policy – Portugal’s
National Waste Management Plan – was developed in partnership between the
Portuguese Environment Agency and the Instituto Superior Técnico of the University
of Lisbon. The need for a life cycle approach to underpin waste management policies was recognised from the outset, leading to promotion of a circular economy to
contribute to increasing resource effi ciency. The benefi ts include reductions in the
quantity of waste sent to landfi ll, increase in recycling of solid waste due to selective
collection and more effi cient recovery and treatment, leading to almost halving the
GHG emissions associated with waste management. This is a benchmark example
of what can be achieved by cooperation between government, academia and the
private sector in applying industrial ecology thinking.
In Chap. 15 , Sarah Sim, Henry King and Edward Price explain how scientifi c
analysis is used to guide strategy in a major multinational company in the ‘fastmoving consumer goods’ (FMCG) sector. Unilever has a track record as a leader in
applying life cycle thinking – LCA has been used for the design of many products,
and the company’s ‘Sustainable Living Plan’ includes extensive product footprinting. Sim and her colleagues foresee that the company will continue to use life cycle
Introduction