Achieving synergy between pollution reduction and carbon mitigation in the eco-industrial park: a multi-objective optimization framework

Chunlei Du; Yin Yuan; Lu Sun; Minoru Fujii; Weize Song; Yang Yao; Jingzheng Ren

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126257

Achieving synergy between pollution reduction and carbon mitigation in the eco-industrial park: a multi-objective optimization framework

J Environ Manage. 2025 Jul 1:390:126257. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126257. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chunlei Du¹, Yin Yuan², Lu Sun³, Minoru Fujii⁴, Weize Song⁵, Yang Yao⁶, Jingzheng Ren⁷

Affiliations

¹ School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
² School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Eco-industry, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
³ School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China. Electronic address: sun.lu@xjtu.edu.cn.
⁴ National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Ibaraki, Japan.
⁵ Laboratory of Low Carbon Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
⁶ State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Eco-industry, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
⁷ Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.

PMID: 40602182
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126257

Abstract

Eco-Industrial Parks (EIPs) have emerged as a strategic approach to reconcile industrial development with environmental responsibility. However, optimizing their industrial structure remains complex due to the intertwined goals of economic growth, energy efficiency, and ecological sustainability. This study aims to develop a multi-objective optimization framework that systematically balances economic benefits, energy consumption, and waste management within EIPs. To achieve this goal, a mathematical optimization model was developed by integrating energy input-output data, waste treatment processes, and emission parameters. Optimized tools were applied to evaluate multiple industrial restructuring pathways under various policy constraints. The optimized scenarios show a substantial reduction in environmental impact: carbon emission intensity drops by 27.29 % in 2025 and 45.64 % in 2030, while final solid waste treatment volumes are reduced by 72.13 % and 91.59 %, respectively. Air pollutant emissions such as SO₂, NOx, and PM also decline significantly due to increased adoption of clean energy and recycling practices. These results demonstrate the model's practical value in guiding high-tech industrial parks toward a green and low-carbon transformation. This approach offers a quantitative foundation that can be extended to other industrial parks encountering comparable challenges, facilitating the implementation of sustainable restructuring strategies.

Keywords: Carbon mitigation; Circular economy; Eco-industrial park; Multi-objective optimization; Synergistic effects.