Promoting Industrial Symbiosis Network through Public-Private Partnership: A Case Study of TEDA

As Circular Economy (CE) and sustainable development have been widely recognized in the world, industrial solid waste exchange as a sort of typical industrial symbiosis phenomenon is being opened, mined and utmost importance for resources-saving and environment-friendly society. Commercial businesses and manufacturers are under pressure to be responsible both environmentally and economically in China; the increasing cost of industrial solid waste treatment has led local governments to examine if this service is best provided by the public sector or can better be provided by the private sector. Public-private partnerships have emerged as a promising alternative to improve industrial solid waste management performance with privately owned enterprises often outperforming publicly owned ones. In 2004, an EU-China Environmental Management Cooperation Program (EMCP) of state government agencies, private business, not-for-profits and educational institutions met to discuss the potential for a industrial solid waste exchange in Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Area (TEDA) EIP, China. This paper discusses public-private partnerships as a method in which private sector working with government, private business, and educational organizations developed a collaborative statewide program involving the exchange of materials from manufacturers and commercial business in TEDA EIP. The paper also figures out the case of industrial symbiosis network in TEDA and the benefits and challenges gained by related behavior activities during the process of production, development and evolvement of industrial symbiosis network. Analysis of alternatives for private sector involvement in waste management is considered and management approaches are outlined.