Element-based material flow analysis to identify unexplored industrial symbiosis opportunities

Bibliographic Data

ID22434011
AuthorsAlastair T M Marsh (University of Leeds, corresponding author), Hisham Hafez (0009-0004-8917-680X, University of Leeds), Michal P Drewniok (University of Leeds)
Year2026
Volume66
Pages181-193
Publication date2026-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSustainable Production and Consumption (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2352-5509 • E-ISSN: 2352-5509
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.spc.2026.05.011
OpenAlexW7162779807
LanguageEN
References cited53

The cement, glass, steel and ceramics sectors consume large amounts of raw materials and generate large amounts of by-products and wastes. Industrial symbiosis is a promising approach to reduce waste production and raw material extraction in manufacturing sectors. A key task within industrial symbiosis is the identification of symbiotic matches, in which a by-product output from one sector can be used to replace a raw material input from another sector. The lack of a systematic, compositionally-grounded approach to identifying symbiotic matches is a barrier to greater implementation of industrial symbiosis. In this study, element-based material flow analysis is developed as a novel approach to help identify previously unexplored cross-sectoral matches for industrial symbiosis. Element-based mapping was carried out on the material flows in the cement, glass, steel, ceramics sectors in the United Kingdom. Al, Ca, Fe, Mg and Si together comprise >95% of elemental flows for both input raw materials and output by-products. However, elemental flows of by-products are only ~14% of raw material elemental input flows across the cement, glass, steel and ceramics sectors. A Similarity Index based on Euclidean distance was developed to evaluate similarity in elemental composition between by-product outputs and raw material inputs. An initial screening was conducted on 103 potential matches, based on their similarity in elemental composition; a subsequent screening step based on a literature review and an industry-based workshop yielded six promising yet unexplored matches. This approach demonstrates value beyond conventional industrial symbiosis matching approaches, for improving circularity in industrial materials production.

Ceramic · Industrial ecology · Industrial Symbiosis · Material flow · Material flow analysis · Raw material · Extraction and Separation Processes · Recycling and utilization of industrial and municipal waste in materials production · Sustainable Industrial Ecology

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