Title: Barriers of interorganisational environmental management: two case studies on industrial symbiosis

Authors: Wolf Fichtner, Ingela Tietze-Stöckinger, Michael Frank, Otto Rentz

Addresses: Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), University of Karlsruhe, Hertzstr. 16, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany. ' Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), University of Karlsruhe, Hertzstr. 16, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany. ' Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), University of Karlsruhe, Hertzstr. 16, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany ' Institute for Industrial Production (IIP), University of Karlsruhe, Hertzstr. 16, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to test the research hypothesis that interorganisational cooperation contributes to improved environmental management. Two case studies – one from the energy sector, the other from the waste disposal sector – are analysed. The results of the case studies support the hypothesis by showing that inter-company concepts can result in considerable cost savings and environmental benefits when compared to the optimal strategies implemented independently by the individual companies. Literature analysis and interviews of 25 decision makers of industrial companies have been used to identify the barriers of interorganisational environmental management.

Keywords: interorganisational environmental management; spatial proximity; energy flows; material flows; sustainable development; combined heat and power; CHP; waste disposal; transportation; mixed integer linear programming; barriers; inter-company cooperation; industrial ecology; energy supply.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2005.006778

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2005 Vol.2 No.1, pp.73 - 88

Published online: 14 Apr 2005 *

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