A case study of industrial symbiosis: YunFu Boli Co., Ltd. in China

China is undergoing a rapid industrialization and has been considered as one of the biggest consumers of nature resources. The study of ecosystem development in China is important and has drawn large attention of Chinese government. For example, China's Agenda 21 highlighted the principles and sets the directions for eco-industrial development. Industrial symbiosis, which has emerged as a self-organizing business strategy among firms, is consistent with the one of the ecosystem's measure that relates to the systematic reuse of waste and by-products in order to progress toward sustainability. In China, industrial symbiosis has been implemented in the philosophy of circular economy which emphasizes the cooperation development to optimize material and energy flows. Industrial symbiosis is also consistent with the one of the ecosystem's measure that relates to the systematic reuse of waste and by-products in order to progress toward sustainability. In this study, we investigated the production statuses of several middle-sized chemical firms in an undeveloped town in south china and put forward the cooperative strategy for implementing industrial symbiosis. We finally analyzed the approached benefit on environment, economy even up to society.