Evaluating and Planning for Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP) as a Tool for Sustainable Industrial Development (Case study: Karaj Eco-Industrial Park)

Abstract During the last century, world industrial development, globalization and international competitions has led countries into a race of unlimited economic growth. Encountering the negative effects of economies based on mass production and consumption caused many countries to search for an alternative paradigm for development. With acceptance of new ideas such as cleaner production and industrial ecology, several countries adopted Eco-Industrial park policy as a tool for achieving sustainable development. Therefore, the purpose of this article is planning an eco-industrial park in Karaj Shahrestan. For this purpose, case study research has been applied. The study scope is Karaj Shahrestan and using secondary data, the applicability of an eco-industrial park has been analyzed. Findings of research show that considering potentialities of Shahrestan, between different themes of EIPs (including: Agro-EIP, Resource Recovery EIP, Renewable Energy EIP, Power planet EIP and Petrochemical EIP), Agro-EIP is most appropriate theme for Karaj shahrestan. This Agro-EIP is planned with 160 ha Area and for employment of 3000 employees and its potential members are food processing cluster, dense food production crops (greenhouse and aquaculture farming), urban and agricultural waste recycling plant, solar thermal energy production plant, anaerobic wastewater treatment and educational institutions. This EIP can create some water, material and energy exchanges between its members and hence helps to closing the industrial ecosystem and moreover, by developing urban farming, helps to reduction of food production and consumption distance, improvement of local micro-climate, carbon dioxide balance in the cities, promote biodiversity, and leads to improvement of urban environment.