Integrating industrial symbiosis concept into the environmental management of Zarqa free zone

Dissertant

Ala al-Din, Dina Munir

Thesis advisor

al-Hayik, Bassam Usamah
al-Jayyusi, Awdah

Comitee Members

al-Sharif, Munjid
Saidan, Mutasim
al-Hammud, Nasarina

University

Princess Sumaya University for Technology

Faculty

King Talal School of Business Technology

Department

Department Management Information Systems

University Country

Jordan

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2012

English Abstract

One man's trash is another man's treasure; is an English idiom that simply describes the core of this thesis.

This thesis focused on a significant environmental management concept, known by the name "Industrial Symbiosis".

The payback that emerges from applying such a concept makes it tempting to be practiced by industries, as if all the required conditions and circumstances exist, many environmentally efficient and economically feasible benefits could be achieved.

The benefits range from reducing the amount of waste released to the environment; reducing the cost of waste disposal and the cost of purchasing raw materials to even achieving better socioeconomic status by generating new income source and employment opportunities.

The objective of this work was to propose a framework that can facilitate applying Industrial Symbiosis to one of Jordan's vital industrial clusters; Zarqa Free Zone (ZFZ).

The proposed framework was built upon information and knowledge learned through theoretical and empirical approaches.

Case study tool was mainly used to explore existence, potentials and evaluation of Industrial Symbiosis at ZFZ.

Lab tests were used to investigate compatibility of some waste exchanges to register successes and failures as examples in order to learn some of the conditions that make Industrial Symbiosis achievable.

It was observed that Industrial Symbiosis does not exist at ZFZ, but there are some forms of simple trade-by-trade waste exchanges.

The studied sample of industries showed willingness and familiarity with the benefits that Industrial Symbiosis could bring to them.

Therefore, the framework proposed in this thesis will only act as a catalyst to encourage industries to follow a clear path of logistical and technical terms in order to form an Industrial Symbiosis network.

Many challenges were identified that could hold back the zone from adopting the framework, such as the lack of adequate database that list the important data for evaluating any exchange such as the type and quantity of waste released from each industry.

The current fluctuating financial situation is another obstacle that could be distracting industries from looking into best environmental practices.

All in all, the challenges found could be solved by offering economic incentives and promoting successful pilot projects.

Since potential and motivation are there, then reinforcement on the economic, political, technical, technological and social levels have to cooperate to ensure the compliance of Industrial Symbiosis.

In Jordan, national and political schemes have the opportunity to adapt, integrate and encourage such a concept.

Main Subjects

Business Administration
Earth Sciences, Water and Environment

Topics

• Environmental policy
• Jordan
• Zarqa
• Environmental aspects

No. of Pages

89

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-307109