New business from side streams

FISS South Karelia industrial symbiosis service improves the profitability of business operations in the South Karelia region by enhancing the companies’ use of materials and energy. The service contributes to the generation of new business by increasing knowledge of the quantities and qualities of waste and by-product flows generated by companies. Another goal is to increase cooperation between SMEs and research organisations to strengthen business operations in the region and to facilitate the permit procedures related to industrial symbioses.

FISS South Karelia industrial symbiosis service boosts the utilisation of side streams in the region and connects us to the Finnish Industrial Symbiosis System coordinated by Motiva. Wirma and LUT are jointly implementing this project to examine the need to enhance the raw material and energy use of the region’s companies, in addition to charting what side streams they generate that could be utilised. The development opportunities of industrial sector companies operating in South Karelia are also identified. The largest materials streams are generated by the forest, extractive and metal industries. There are also food industry and construction and waste management companies in the region. The goal is to find sustainable methods to implement industrial symbiosis for the selected example companies. The project will also include charting the competence development needs of the companies and enhancing their competence in the utilisation of side streams.

Piloting is carried out under the project, for example, in the cement industry by creating a regional symbiosis and the circulation of materials between various players, which in turn will generate new business and growth for the chain of operators. For the purposes of the industrial symbiosis service, other targets of examination include the utilisation of the waste streams of the new sludge treatment plant and the opportunities for symbiosis, regarding the surplus heat from industry. The methods of seeking symbioses include workshops, the first of which is intended to be organised in November-December. Further information on the FISS South Karelia industrial symbiosis service is provided by Terhi Jantunen, terhi.jantunen@wirma.fi.