Understanding the Development of Industrial Symbiosis in Ghana: Envisioning a Circular Economy

One most important principles of industrial ecology mirroring biological system is that “Nothing is ever wasted in nature”. The principle of sustainability requires that we conserve as much of the earth’s resources as possible, and in the industrial world, materials and products that are obsolete should be termed residues rather than waste. There has been a surge of Industrial symbiosis (IS) development and studies across developed economies, however the typology and functioning of IS networks in less economically developed countries is largely unknown. This study investigates IS activity in Ghana by analyzing 24 IS networks identified through the review of environmental management plans of some companies, field-based mapping, interviews, and site observations conducted across industrial zones. Using qualitative coding and basic descriptive statistics, the study assessed development, implementation levels, waste streams, participating sectors, and geographic spread. Results show that 79% of the IS exchanges were self-organized, while 21% were facilitated. Manufacturing accounted for 95% of the IS activities, with food and beverage processing being the most involved subsector. A total of 17 distinct waste streams were traded including spent grain, palm oil waste, paper offcuts, fruit peels etc. IS networks were predominantly bilateral or linear, with limited evidence of integrated multi-party loops a clear contradiction of Chertow’s definition of what a basic IS is. The study concludes that industrial symbiosis is still in its infancy in Ghana, yet the diversity of industrial actors suggests promising opportunities for its growth and institutionalization.