Towards Zero Waste in Industrial Networks: Policy Recommendations from the ZeroWIN Project

The ZeroWIN project has identified four key strategies for the realization of zero waste in industrial networks: industrial symbiosis, supply chain management (including collaboration of actors along the supply chain), product stewardship and eco-design. A review of the current European policies has shown that “industrial symbiosis” is the ZeroWIN strategy least addressed by European Union (EU) policies. Relevant EU policies were selected based on their impacts on industrial networks along the product life cycle: raw material acquisition, manufacturing, distribution, product purchase and use, and end of life. Only a few policies address the first phases of the life cycle; most policies and legislation predominantly regulate the end of life of products and materials, with sector-specific policies having the greatest combined impact on the high-tech sector. Sustainable procurement (as part of supply chain management) is supported at the EU level only in a voluntary way. For the construction sector, the EU appears to lack a concerted policy approach on resource efficiency. No dedicated construction and demolition laws are in place in most countries, and most of the existing regulations concern general waste only. Consultation with industry stakeholders and desk research on policy measures covering the electronics, photovoltaic, automotive and construction sectors have shown that most stakeholders consider the zero waste approach promising. However, various barriers were mentioned regarding its practical implementation, including lack of access to appropriate technologies and waste materials, lack of partners for establishing by-product/waste exchanges, high costs associated with the implementation of necessary new technologies and the transportation of wastes or by-products from one company to another, lack of economic incentives, barriers resulting from unclear definitions and non-harmonized standards and legislation, and lack of political support. It is important to emphasize that some (or all) of the number 6, 2013