SYMBA: ADVANCING INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS FOR A SUSTAINABLE, CIRCULAR AND BIO-BASED EUROPE

SYMBA is a Horizon Europe project that aims to reduce environmental impacts on soil, water, and air by promoting Industrial Symbiosis practices across multiple sectors and regions. The project involves nine partners across five EU countries. The core objective is to develop a replicable Industrial Symbiosis methodology tailored to specific industrial contexts. This methodology will integrate and adapt established sustainability assessment frameworks, Life Cycle Assessment, Social Life Cycle Assessment, and Life Cycle Costing, to address the complexity of IS networks. Although Life Cycle Assessment is commonly used in Industrial Symbiosis studies, existing models often fail to capture multi-level interactions across actors and resource flows. Evidence from past Industrial Symbiosis networks indicates significant potential for environmental and economic benefits, including emission reductions of up to 31% and cost savings of up to 30%. SYMBA’s approach begins with a structured literature review to extract methodological insights. This informs a regional analysis conducted across four demonstration sites, selected for their high Industrial Symbiosis potential. The analysis assesses readiness levels, existing practices, and sector-specific challenges, enabling adaptation of the methodology to each local context. The project also addresses policy barriers through collaboration with regional stakeholders, co-creating a Policy and Strategy Roadmap to guide Industrial Symbiosis deployment at scale. Outcomes will include actionable recommendations, best practices, and scalable business models. By promoting the circular use of resources and integration of secondary raw materials, SYMBA aims to strengthen Europe’s bio-based economy and industrial resilience while demonstrating the real-world viability of industrial symbiosis.