The document discusses the concept of industrial ecology, which proposes that industrial systems should mimic natural ecosystems by having the wastes of one industry serve as resources for another. It was first introduced in 1973 as a way to minimize energy and material usage and reduce environmental impact. The key aspects of industrial ecology in practice include input-output analysis, by-product exchange between co-located industries, and taking a systems-level approach. The document also discusses recycling and its benefits, such as conserving natural resources and generating jobs, as well as some of the environmental costs of recycling processes. Overall, the document promotes minimizing waste and adopting a more circular economy approach across industries.
2. •The term “Industrial Ecology” was
first introduced by Harry Zvi Evan
at a seminar of the Economic
Commission of Europe in 1973.
3. Where did the idea “Industrial Ecology”,
come from?
• "why would not our industrial system behave
like an ecosystem, where the wastes of a
species may be resource to another species?
• Why would not the outputs of an industry be
the inputs of another, thus reducing use of
raw materials, pollution, and saving on waste
treatment?”
4. Industrial Ecology
Approach to managing human activity on a
sustainable basis by.
• essential integration of human systems
into natural systems.
• Minimizing energy and materials usage.
• Minimizing the ecological impact of human
activity to levels natural systems can
sustain.
5.
6. Some of the systemic problems
•Dealing with regulated waste is a direct
cost to the business.
• Un-regulated waste is an indirect cost to
your employees, your customers, and you.
• At best, waste is an inefficiency, a
missed opportunity.
• On a planet, resources are finite if not
replenished via cycles.
7. Systemic Benefits
•Does not externalize costs to society, your
employees, you or your family
• Increased efficiency
•Increases innovation in yours and other’s
businesses
• May give rise to new product lines or services
• Reduces costs
• Increases revenues
8. Industrial Ecology in Practice
Input - Output analysis at the systems level
By-product exchange and energy cascading
Physical connections between production units
– close proximity of industry on one site
Systems approach outside an Industrial estate
No management and formal research involved
10. •RECYCLING
•Is when you put things like
glass,plastic,paper/cardboard into different
coloured bins to be turned into something new
example. Cardboard can be turned into a new
cereal box.
•Recycling saves land, reduces the amount of
solid waste, energy consumption and pollution.
11. Problems,
•Recycling does have environmental
costs.
•It uses energy and generates pollution.
•Ex. the de-inking process in paper
recycling requires energy, and produces a
toxic sludge that contains heavy metals.
12. Benefits,
•Conserves our natural resources
•Has a positive effect on the economy by
generating jobs and revenues.
•For example, the Sunday edition of the
New York Times consumes 62,000 trees.
•Currently, only about 20% of all paper in
North America is recycled
13. •Glass !
•Each family living in the UK uses 500
glass bottles and jars on average every
year
• Glass is 100% recyclable and can be used
again and again
• The largest glass furnace produces over
1million glass bottles and jars every day
• Glass that is thrown away ends up in
landfills and will never decompose (it will
never rot away )
14. Paper and Cardboard
•Recycled paper produces 73% less air
pollution than other materials
• 12.5 million tonnes of paper and
cardboard are used annually in the UK
• the average person in the UK goes
through 38kg of newspapers every year
• It takes 24 trees to make 1 ton of
newspapers !
15. Plastic !
•2,75,000 tonnes of plastic is used each year
in the UK that’s about 15 million bottles a
day.
• Most families throw away 40kg of plastic
a year which could be recycled
• plastic that ends up in landfills can take
up to 500 years to decompose (rot)
•The use of plastic in western Europe is
going up by 4% every year
16. Many people underestimate Recycling
•Tons of everyday items can be recycled,
things like plastic, glass, aluminium and
paper/cardboard are all things that we just
throw away instead of recycling them.
• Many people underestimate the benefits of
recycling and how it would be better for the
environment.
• So before you throw away your rubbish
that can be recycled just think
17.
18. Solid wastes
polluting a river
in Jakarta,
Indonesia. The
man in the boat is
looking for items
to salvage or sell
WASTING RESOURCES