HTML Document Royal Øresund Award for Young Environmental Resarchers

Released 21/07/2008
Contributor cupceant

Royal Øresund Award for Young Environmental Resarchers

Murat Mirata

    Winner of the Royal Øresund Award for Young Environmental Researchers: Murat Mirata for “Industrial Symbiosis Network: A Framework for Improving Regional Resource Use”.
    The project focuses on systematically identifying possible synergies between the resource flows in and around industries located in close proximity to each other and supporting their development. The main idea is to examine whether resources possessed, and sometimes regarded as waste, from one industrial process can be utilised for the benefit of other neighbouring industries, in a so-called Industrial Symbiosis (IS) network. IS networks between regional economic activities have the ability to bridge local needs and capacities, and thereby optimise resource use, and create advantages for the economy and the environment. The grant allows Mr. Mirata to attend international waste conferences and seminars, and thereby demonstrate the high academic competences of the Øresund Region.

Contact:
Murat Mirata, Ph.D., IIIEE: murat.mirata@iiiee.lu.se
Laila Sørensen, Royal Awards for Sustainability : laila.sorensen@eea.eu.int

The Jury said:
The jury committee received 15 applications of a very high standard, but chose Mr. Mirata´s research with the following statements:
  • “Visionary.”
  • “Strong focus on the future sustainable industrial society.”
  • “Includes regional- and international perspectives.”
  • “Opens up for future co-operation between research institutions in the Øresund region.”
  • “Strong focus on resource optimisation and waste reduction in the industrial production.”

    The jury committee consisted of the following members:
  • Håkon Rylander, SYSAV
  • Nils Jørn Hahn, R98,
  • Pavel Kazmircyk, European Environment Agency
  • Carsten Bech, Inst. for Fremtidsforskning
  • Birgit Munch Kampmann, Director of European Topic centre for waste and material flows.
  • Dag Lewis-Jonsson, Nørra Svenska Renholdningsselskab.

    Background
    The volume of waste produced by society continues to increase globally. Despite determined efforts to counteract this trend, such as recycling and reuse, the challenge is still to break the relationship between waste increases and economic growth. Programmes and research that target overall waste reduction is vital to achieving sustainability. This calls for innovative research in advanced production- and management tools, such as in waste-to-energy technologies, as well as in a fundamental shift in the way that we live our lives. It is important that waste is not regarded as an inevitable outcome of production and consumption, but as a lost resource. By awarding a young scientist from the Øresund Region, Royal Awards for Sustainability and Øresund Environment Academy wish to draw attention to the need for innovative research in waste minimisation, and thus encourage and recognise research that is already moving toward sustainability, and also promote innovative research that can contribute to Øresund Region being a beacon in this sector. The Award is an opportunity to introduce the concept of sustainability to industries, with both direct and societal costs in mind – sustainable production and consumption should be the goal of all sectors of our society. The award is sponsored by the waste companies R98, SYSAV, NSR, and Øresund Science Region and INTERREG IIIA-Oresund.


    Full details on the objective and the criteria are available here: Read presentation pdf