Industrial Symbiosis Applied to Vietnam Coal Mining Industry to Promote the Circular Economic Model towards Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Industrial symbiosis associated with the eco-industrial parks is the cooperative activities between businesses to optimize using of inputs
and outputs such as raw materials, energy, water, waste materials, etc. in the orperation of businesses. In the industrial symbiosis
model, the overall benefits of the symbiosis activities are more than the ones when working individually. Applying the model could
help to reduce the demand of raw materials and increase the waste that be treated – an important part of the circular economy model.
The coal mining industry includes many different stages from exploration, exploitation, processing, and trading. Each stage could be
performed by different businesses which could corporate with each other. Besides the contributions to the socio-economic development,
the industry also emits lots of waste into the environment to cause environmental pollution that needs to be treated. The paper
summarizes the theoretical basis of the industrial symbiosis, the circular economy and clarifies the relationship between the industrial
symbiosis, the circular economy and the sustainable development goals. From analyzing some typical situations of industrial symbiosis
activities in Vietnamese coal mining industry; analyzing some characteristics and potential application of industrial symbiosis in the
industry, the paper proposes the model of industrial symbiosis for Vietnamese coal mining industry. The paper also proposes some
solutions to promote symbiotic activities in the industry.