Author(s)

L. B. Elabras Veiga, A. Magrini & A. S. Szklo

Abstract

This paper presents the Eco Industrial Park (EIP) concept, an environmental management tool that is being spread in many nations as an industrial model that can reconcile the three \“Es” of sustainability – environment, social equity and economic efficiency – as it reorganizes industrial practices and activities in order to meet sustainable development goals. This mutual benefit results in more sustainable communities and environment, in the reduction of pollution, by products and waste discarded in the environment, increasing companies’ competitiveness and access to new markets. Although this is an emerging concept, there are many EIP projects being implemented, and many of them already operating in North America, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, including in Rio de Janeiro State (RJS), Brazil. This paper highlights the problem of waste generation increase from the industrial sector. All over the world, economic growth has increased resource consumption and environmental degradation. Industrialization brought wealth and development; however it has also brought many externalities. One of these externalities is the high level of by products and waste discarded by societies, being disposed in the environment without proper treatment and management. The objective of this paper is to present how EIPs can contribute to the reduction, reuse and recycling (3R’s) of by products and waste from the industrial sector. As a case study, this paper presents the Paracambi EIP, located in RJS, in which the methodology of the software Facility Synergy Tool (FaST), developed by the US-EPA, was a major tool used in order to develop by products and waste synergies among the different industrial typologies suggested for this EIP. Finally this paper presents an analysis and recommendations in the long term, regarding EIP development that may be implemented by the public sector in partnership with the private sector, communities and university. Keywords: Eco Industrial Park, waste management, reduce, reuse and recycle (3R’s), Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

Keywords

Eco Industrial Park, waste management, reduce, reuse and recycle (3R’s), Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.