We humans love smart systems. We like it when resources are put to good use, when waste is given a new lease of life, and when what was once waste becomes an asset in another context. This idea is called industrial symbiosis, and it has received a lot of attention – and rightly so.
But as with all brilliant things, there are limits. Symbiosis works best when it comes to flowing resources – but it quickly becomes more complex and sometimes problematic the further up the value chain we go.
Symbiosis loves flows
In its most basic form, symbiosis is about what one actor wants to get rid of, another needs. It can be about:
- Energy – where excess heat from a factory is piped into a nearby greenhouse or residential area.
- Air or steam – where process gas can be purified and used in another step.
- Water – where wastewater from one business becomes process water in another.
- Electrons – where electricity from solar cells on a roof goes into a nearby server room or electric cars.
All of these have something in common: they are flowing, basic resources. They can be measured, regulated, paused, stored, and they are fundamentally generic.
It doesn’t matter exactly what kilowatt-hour or liter of water it is, as long as it is clean enough and in the right place at the right time.
Here, symbiosis works amazingly well. The systems can be expanded, fine-tuned, adapted, shared, and scaled. And you are not locked into a specific waste source to keep the system running.
The higher up the value chain – the slower the symbiosis becomes
But what happens when we want to create symbiosis with products, materials, and components? That’s when things start to get tough. And there are several reasons for that:
Specialization and complexity
A machine built for a specific function – perhaps a robotic arm with multiple sensors and modules – is difficult to transfer to a completely different area of use. It’s not just the components that are specialized – but also the software, integration, and operating environment. Creating a symbiosis with such high-value resources becomes more of a repair or recycling project than a true symbiosis.
Mixed materials
mixed problems Products made of composites, or materials where natural materials and oil-based plastics are glued together, are difficult to separate. When we can’t separate them, we can’t easily reuse them in new symbiotic cycles either. It’s like trying to bake new bread from an old sandwich.
Volume versus demand
A classic example: waste from the leather industry. Sure, it’s possible to make small products like key rings, wallets and accessories – but the amount of waste will almost always exceed the demand for these products. The result? We’ve created a symbiotic solution that requires more waste to keep it going. It’s the other way around.
The trap of symbiosis: when we create dependencies on waste
The really tricky part is when we build systems where someone has to continue producing waste – because some other business depends on it as a raw material. This happens when we use high-value waste as an input in another production chain.
Example:
- A company that manufactures advanced plastic parts receives waste that is used in design products. But what happens when the company streamlines its production and reduces waste? Then the symbiosis collapses.
- A textile manufacturer whose fabric waste goes to the furniture industry. When pattern cutting becomes more optimized, there is no longer enough waste left to sustain the side project.
This is a fundamental problem. We should not design systems that depend on waste continuing to occur. In the long run, this drives overproduction and inhibits innovation that fundamentally reduces waste.
Life extension and modularity in high-value products
So what is the solution for materials and products higher up the value chain?
Life extension
Ensure that what has already been manufactured lasts longer. This can involve repair, remanufacturing (remake/remanufacturing) or reconditioning. The longer the product is used, the better the resources that went into it are used.
Modularity
Design products so that parts can be removed, replaced, upgraded or used in other contexts. This means that you don’t have to build symbioses around waste – and instead can circulate resources in an intelligent way.
Secondary markets
High-value products should often find their next user as a product, not as a material. An advanced engine should go to a used unit, not be ground down to metal chips.
Symbiosis where it belongs: energy, purification and basic resources
We should therefore focus symbiosis on what can flow, regulate and scale without creating dependencies. This concerns:
- Surplus heat > Greenhouses, district heating, drying processes.
- Wastewater > Treatment plants, reuse in industrial processes.
- CO₂ > Green farming, mineralization, dry ice production.
- Biogas from food waste > Energy for public transport or heating.
- Surplus electricity > Battery storage or smart charging systems.
All of these can be adapted to supply and demand over time. They are not dependent on exactly where the waste comes from – just that there is.
Build for circularity, not for dependency
It is tempting to want to find a new purpose for every scrap. But we must be wise: not all symbiosis is sustainable in the long term. In high-value products, we should think long-term rather than symbiotically.
Let energy flow where it can be useful. Let products last longer. And design our systems so that they stand strong even when waste runs out.
Because in a truly sustainable world, that should be the goal.
