International Synergies : News Centre : News Article

International Synergies Limited (ISL) and the United States Business Council for Sustainable (US BCSD) signed an agreement to pool their resources and expertise on future projects.

Birmingham based ISL has developed the award-winning National Industrial Symbiosis Programme which originally evolved from theby-product synergy approach. NISP identifies mutually profitable links between its member companies so that previously unused or discarded resources are recovered, reprocessed and reused by others. NISP is making a major contribution to reducing the environmental impacts of business in the UK, reducing industrial carbon emissions by 4.4 million tonnes between April 2005 and March 2008 and is on target to deliver 5% of the UK’s Kyoto commitment by 2011.

The US BCSD, based in Austin, Texas, is a non-profit association of businesses. In the 1990s it developed what has become a highly successful process called by-product synergy in which one promote the efficient use of natural resources, and create a legally protected forum in which companies can explore reuse opportunities. Along with reducing waste and avoiding pollution, BPS can reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions.

By working together, the two groups hope to expand their networks, share case studies, and create more opportunities for worldwide synergies. During a recent visit to the UK, representatives of the US BCSD toured the country’s largest animal by-product recycler (Join Pointon& Sons Ltd in Stoke-on-Trent) to see how meat and bone meal from cattle is recovered and reused in place of virgin materials in cement production.

Over in the states, thebusiness council is working with public and privatesector partners to develop and implement projects in cities including Kansas City, Chicago, Seattle, Mobile, Central Ohio, Houston, and Boston.

Peter Laybourn, Chief Executive of International Synergies Limited said: “Joining forces with the US-BCSD will help develop the NISP programme further in the UK by sharing examples of best practice. The link also provides the opportunity for each programme to learn from the limitations and barriers experienced by one in favour of growth and collaborative development."

Andrew Mangan, Executive Director of the US BCSD, said: “Bridging these programs will benefit communities in the US, the UK and elsewhere to cut costs, achieve efficiencies and reduce pollution, including greenhouse gases.”