Uncovering Industrial Symbiosis Opportunities through Social Network Analysis: Case Study of Izmir Ataturk Organised Industrial Zone

Industrial symbiosis (IS) is a novel production system in which firms operating in different industries exchange resources (waste, by-products, energy, water, and information) to enhance resource efficiency and prevent waste. IS applications are primarily based on inter-firm cooperation. An important tool for understanding these collaborations or identifying potential partnerships is social network analysis (SNA). To analyse how SNA can be used in IS practices, the present study identified potential symbiotic relationships and constructed an IS network for firms operating within one organised industrial zone in Türkiye, the İzmir Atatürk Organised Industrial Zone (IAOIZ). In particular, centrality measures were used to reveal which sectors were central to the network and thus played key roles. The findings indicated that these central sectors (metal, cement, glass, and ceramics industries, electricity, chemical, agriculture, paper, plastic, and food sectors) both generate the largest amount of waste and use waste as raw material. The resulting industrial symbiosis network can assist regional policymakers in making decisions. Policymakers can provide support in areas such as legislation, incentives, and the establishment of eco-industrial parks for the sectors identified in this study as having a high ES relationship. Furthermore, such network-based analyses provide a methodological framework for future studies, thereby laying the groundwork for the widespread adoption of industrial symbiosis applications.