Whole-process and multi-stakeholder-based solid waste management framework construction for industrial parks: Toward circular economy development

Abstract

The intensive generation of industrial solid waste (ISW) in industrial parks poses a severe threat to the water and soil environment. To address the lack of system-level guidance strategies for ISW management (ISWM), the paper proposes a systematic ISWM framework within the context of the circular economy principle and applies it to a prominent eco-industrial park in China. This framework is founded on the metabolic characteristics of the entire ISW process, supported by multi-stakeholder cooperation, and guaranteed by a shareable information platform and infrastructure. A holistic ISW flow analytical process is introduced to facilitate the implementation of this framework. In the case study, a high-resolution inventory of ISW is established by 157 enterprises in 2021, covering 116 types of general ISW and 61 types of hazardous waste (HW). By integrating material flow analysis, questionnaires, and interviews, this study quantitatively reveals the underperformance of mini-scale HW recycling, with a recycling rate of 5.6% in 2021, well below the park-wide rate of 50.8%. Collaborative inboundary and transboundary disposal emerges as a crucial direction for ISWM, with over 80% of ISW being disposed of outside the park. Following the implementation of circular economy strategies guided by the management framework, notable improvements are observed, including a 26.5% increase in the recycling rate of mini-scale HW and a 13.5% increase in the proportion of disposal outside Beijing. To foster sustainable ISWM, this study recommends enhancing the decentralized infrastructure of collection–storage–transportation integration for mini-scale ISW in industrial parks. The developed management framework provides valuable insights and guidance for park-specific ISWM strategies.