Sustainability in the bio/agro industry: a case study

With the current significant increase in economic and environmental pressures, industry leaders are now calling for sustainable solutions, while politicians are looking for ways to legislate accordingly. Any such solutions and subsequent legislation would need to be both effective and economically viable. In short, we know what needs to be done, we now need to find ways to make it happen. Established in 2007, Biopark Terneuzen, The Netherlands, is acting as a catalyst, smart linking agro-industrial companies operating in the same geography. The objective of the initiative is to encourage and facilitate companies’ drive to maximise the use of one another’s by-products and waste matters, turning them into feedstock, energy or utility supplements. Although still in the early stages of development, this initiative is already showing positive results for its participants. This article looks at the achievements of Biopark Terneuzen to date and discusses the future challenges and practical implications of smartlinking. Bio Base Europe, a cross-border joint project to drive the transition from fossil-based to bio-based industrial processes, is also discussed.