Industrial symbiosis in Sweden’s bio-based industries

“BioInnovation aims to accelerate the transition towards a circular and bio-based society. To achieve this, we need to become better at creating connections between different industrial sectors. This analysis provides valuable insights into how industrial symbiosis can contribute to that goal.”

Sverker Danielsson, Deputy Programme Director, BioInnovation

In autumn 2025, Trossa supported BioInnovation in exploring how industrial symbiosis can be further developed to support the transition towards a circular and bio-based society, with a particular focus on the forestry, chemical, and textile industries. The project identified both opportunities and barriers to advancing industrial symbiosis in Sweden.

By connecting material and energy flows across organisations and sectors, significant opportunities exist to reduce resource use, create new business models, and strengthen industrial competitiveness. The findings were presented to approximately 70 participants during a webinar in spring 2026.

Three key findings

1. The potential for industrial symbiosis across the forestry, chemical, and textile industries is significant. Considerable activity is already underway, and Sweden benefits from a strong knowledge base in this area.
2. Sweden currently exports large volumes of raw materials that could instead be utilized domestically to create greater value within national value chains.
3. To increase the use of Swedish raw materials in bio-based products, new value chains need to be established and the conditions for scaling innovative solutions must be strengthened.

More information about the project and the final report is available on BioInnovation’s website.

Briefly about industrial symbiosis

Industrial symbiosis is a strategic approach that enables more efficient use of materials, energy, and resources through collaboration between companies and societal stakeholders. It is about viewing by-products and side streams as valuable resources and creating shared value through cooperation.