Identifying Criteria and Indicators and Determining the Alternative Scenario for Transforming Industrial Towns into Eco-industrial Parks

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Manufacturing waste in that industry is dominant and attracts the attention of the town waste management system. The present study aims to identify the best alternative for managing environmental problems and waste in Ahvaz industrial towns. The criteria and indicators of transforming industrial towns into EIPs are collected and analyzed from different aspects and, then, prioritized using fuzzy and TOPSIS fuzzy techniques. Accordingly, four main criteria (environmental, economic, social/legal, and specialized/technical) are considered, for each of which some sub-criteria are taken into account. According to the criteria and sub-criteria as well as library and field studies, six alternatives are considered. Results of the questionnaire distributed among experts and employees in Ahvaz industrial towns are collected. The items in each criterion are scored 1-10. Calculations performed in fuzzy and real environments reveal compiling executive guidelines and standards (0.591) is the most appropriate alternative, followed by tertiary education and infrastructural culture building (0.557), modifying and updating laws and regulations (0.535), developing industrial research, development and training units (0.462), providing financial support for knowledge-based activities of industries (0.419) and developing industry monitoring and evaluation units (0.371) as the first to sixth priorities. The results indicated executive guidelines and standards should be compiled to manage environmental problems in industrial towns and transform towns into echo-industrial parks. It is hoped that decision-makers in this field will take an important step to transform industrial towns into echo-industrial parks, minimize environmental problems and manage waste by developing executive guidelines and updated and advanced standards.

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References

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Environmental Energy and Economic Research
Volume 7, Issue 4
November 2023
Pages 1-19

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