Kemi-Tornio Industrial Symbiosis
About this good practice
• Joint use of utilities and firm functions
• Collective gathering and removal of waste materials
• Combining transport of goods and people
• More intensive use of space
• Public utilities with high useful effects
• Joint commercial firm facilities
• Multi-modal transport and high quality public transport .
There are plenty of industrial plants involved in the process. Biggest companies are Stora Enso Kemi and Oulu , Metsä Group (forestry industry), Outokumpu (stainless steel industy), SMA Mineral and waste management companies. In the future, also mining industry will join the activities and the symbiosis is developing gradually. Innovative service sector companies are involved in the operation by conducting research and planning to make the symbiosis function even better in practice and future.
The basic concepts of IS have been present in the Kemi–Tornio region for decades but the more systematic efforts to strengthen IS in the region commenced in the early 2000s. The initial IS cooperation is most likely company based but the development has required public support. The key actors supporting industrial symbiosis development in the region are a combination of key private companies and the regional development company, which is municipally owned.
Expert opinion
This good practice is fully aligned with the Circular Economy Action Plan, one of the main building blocks of the European Green Deal. Industrial symbiosis is a concept where different industries or companies in a geographic area collaborate to exchange materials, energy, water, or by-products to reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and create mutual economic and environmental benefits. The idea is to mimic natural ecosystems, where the waste of one organism becomes the resource for another, creating a circular flow of materials and energy. This concept is a key element of circular economy thinking, which aims to minimize waste and maximize the use of resources. The Kemi-Tornio symbiosis is an excellent example, which can be used as an inspiration by many European regions.
Resources needed
Evidence of success
• Promoting sustainable bio-energy resources
• Improving resource efficiency
• Access in new markets
• Sharing risks
• Opening new markets for secondary raw materials
• Reducing CO2 emissions
• Increasing profitability, revenue
• Reducing production costs
The value of IS and environmental business in the area is estimated to be at EUR 200 million annually. 1.3 million tons of industrial side streams are generated each year.
Potential for learning or transfer
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Digipolis, The City of Kemi, Lapland University of Applied Sciences