CO2 emission reduction through crucial industrial by-product exchange in an industrial area

Industrial symbiosis (IS) in the existed industrial areas in Taiwan is just in the beginning. The main effort of this article is to examine the performances of CO₂ emission reduction through the crucial industrial by-product exchange within the case study Kuanyin industrial area. Life cycle analysis was used to evaluate CO₂ emission in each industrial sector in this case for further strategy suggestions. The waste acid etchants were identified as the crucial industrial by-product by screening the database of Industrial Waste Control Center subordinate to Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. The reused acid etchants input in the etch process in manufacturing printed circuit boards avoided the CO₂ emission by 773 ton CO₂e. The findings encourge ongoing industrial symbiosis programs of this area, and suggest including adjacent industrial districts into the symbiosis programs.