Europe

Summary
The industrial symbiosis service provided by International Synergies to businesses in Northern Ireland under the Maximising Efficiencies banner is the successor to the NISP programme which was delivered in Northern Ireland by International Synergies Ltd from 2007 to June 2011. The experienced team of industrial symbiosis practitioners working out of International Synergies' Belfast office provide advice to businesses on all aspects of waste prevention and minimisation.

International Synergies is contracted to manage and implement an industrial symbiosis service on behalf of Invest Northern Ireland and is already working with over 1,000 industry members who form part of a unique network. Through the network, mutually profitable transactions between companies are identified so that underused or undervalued resources (including energy, waste, water and logistics) are brought into productive use. Members comprise of micros, small and medium businesses (SMEs) and multinational/corporates from every industry sector.

Impact
NISP Northern Ireland, now rebranded, has enabled its Northern Ireland business members to:

    * divert 139,000 tonnes of industrial waste from landfill
    * generate £12 million in new sales
    * reduce carbon emissions by 247,000 tonnes
    * cut costs by £5.5 million by reducing disposal, storage, transport and purchasing costs
    * create and safeguard 71 jobs, and
    * save 130,000 tonnes of virgin material