Symbiosis, zero-waste goal and resource-sharing potential for UAE industries

At present, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the largest economies with tremendous opportunities in the Middle East. However, unsustainable resource consumption and a linear economy have significantly altered the UAE's economic patterns, making it one of the major greenhouse emitters in the world. The government introduced a few approaches to limit fossil-based energy, along with some scattered resource recycling initiatives; however, the fundamental economic cycle is not adequately structured to maximize resource utilization and foster economic circulation. In this circumstance, industrial symbiosis (IS) can be an effective approach to reshaping the economic structure while achieving financial objectives. IS refers to a structured approach in which waste materials or byproducts from one industry are fully utilized by others, ensuring economic benefits with minimal ecological impact. Therefore, the current study presents a critical analysis of the existing IS case studies pertinent to the UAE's major industries and illustrates the synergy necessary to adopt a potential symbiotic relationship in the major industrial chains. Initially, the nation's socioeconomic trends were analyzed to explore their connections with 12 successful IS case studies, aiming to develop a robust methodology for the UAE. Further, a novel conceptual framework has been developed for IS implementation in the UAE with the corresponding quantitative assessment for a zero-waste initiative that can be obtained through our proposed symbiotic relationship in the UAE industries. Present discrete sustainable industrial facilities were also mentioned so that they can be incorporated into closed symbiotic relationships for more economic benefits through an adequate IS strategy. Future studies, however, should consider the limitations of industrial byproducts and mechanical improvements in the processing of crucial resources like wastewater or solid waste in the country.