Case Study from China: Guitang Group

The Guitang Group, from Guangxi Zhuang, China, transforms waste into resources, evolving from a sugar business into a multi-faceted entity that boosts revenue and reduces pollution, embodying industrial symbiosis.

Diversified Use of Sugar Cane Residues: The Group utilizes sugar cane residue, or bagasse, not only in its large paper production facility but also to generate various products. These include alcohol, pulp, toilet paper, calcium carbonate, cement, and power. Such diversified use of bagasse demonstrates the Group's commitment to minimizing waste and maximizing resource utilization.

Incorporation of Local Agricultural Waste: Beyond bagasse, Guitang Group also uses locally sourced agricultural waste like rice and bamboo. These additional fiber sources are integrated into the Group's production processes, further enhancing their commitment to sustainable practices.

Circular Economy in Cement and Fertilizer Production: The Group's approach extends to the use of ash and organic wastes from sugar production in cement manufacturing. Additionally, alcohol byproducts are transformed into fertilizer. The Group's calcium carbonate plant utilizes wastewater from paper mills, showcasing a comprehensive approach to waste utilization.

Supporting Local Agriculture: In a bid to promote organic farming practices, the Guitang Group provides soil amendments and organic fertilizer at no cost to local farmers supplying sugar cane. This symbiotic relationship enhances the quality of the raw materials while supporting sustainable agricultural practices.

Challenges and Future Expansion: Despite the success, the Guitang Group faces challenges, particularly in meeting the demand for their waste-derived products. To address this, they have acquired feedstocks from competitors, partially aided by government mandates that encourage smaller producers to participate in such symbiotic exchanges. This strategy reflects the Group's ongoing efforts to expand their symbiotic network and optimize resource utilization.

Future Development Plans: The Group has plans for more facilities and connections, intending to further develop its model of intra- and inter-firm symbiosis. This ongoing expansion signifies their commitment to continuously exploring new opportunities for industrial symbiosis.

The Guitang Group’s journey from a sugar business to a leader in industrial symbiosis illustrates how companies can turn waste into wealth, contributing positively to both the environment and the economy.

SOURCES:

D. Lew, “Eco Chains in China The Guitang Group - Industrial Ecology,” Dr. Darrin Lew, Sep. 28, 2021. https://www.drdarrinlew.us/industrial-ecology/ecochains-in-chinathe-guitang-group.html 

M. Benedetti, “10 – The experience of the Guitang Group in the Guanxi province in China, leading the industrial development of the region through intra and inter firm symbiosis implementation – MAESTRI – Energy and resource management systems for improved efficiency in the process industries,” May 09, 2017. https://maestri-spire.eu/experienceguitang-group-guanxi-province-china-leading-industrialdevelopment-region-intra-inter-firm-symbiosisimplementation/

Q. ZHU, E. A. LOWE, Y. WEI, and D. BARNES, “Industrial Symbiosis in China: A Case Study of the Guitang Group,” Journal of Industrial Ecology, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 31–42, Oct. 2008, doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/jiec.2007.929.

The diagram pictured above is from: Mathews, John & Tan, Hao. (2011). Progress Toward a Circular Economy in China. Journal of Industrial Ecology. 15. 10.1111/j.1530-9290.2011.00332.x.