The Agenda 21 for the Geneva region is the results from a broad consultation
process including all local actors. The article 12 stipulates that
« the State facilitates possible synergies between economic activities
in order to minimize their environmental impacts » thus opening the
way for Industrial Ecology (IE) and Industrial Symbiosis (IS). An
Advisory Board for Industrial Ecology and Industrial Symbiosis implementation
was established in 2002 involving relevant government agencies. Regulatory
and technical conditions for IS are studied in the Swiss context.
Results reveal that the Swiss law on waste does not hinder by-product
exchanges. Methodology and technical factors including geographic,
qualitative, quantitative and economical aspects are detailed. The
competition with waste operators in a highly developed recycling
system is also tackled.The IS project develops an empirical and systematic
method for detecting and implementing by-products synergies between
industrial actors disseminated throughout the Geneva region. Database
management tool for the treatment of input-output analysis data and
GIS tools for detecting potentials industrial partners are constantly
improved. Potential symbioses for 17 flows (including energy, water
and material flows) are currently studied for implementation.