The Strategic Role of Waste Inventories in Industrial Symbiosis: A Simulation‐Based Perspective on Performance and Resilience of Industrial Symbiosis Networks

Ensuring the resilience of industrial symbiosis networks (ISNs) has emerged as a key concern in the literature. However, existing studies focus on network-level strategies, neglecting the potential benefits derived from strengthening the links between symbiotic partners. Indeed, the single symbiotic relationships serve as the building blocks of the network. Therefore, their breakdown is a major threat for ISNs' survival. Specifically, the mismatch between waste supply and demand is a renowned operational barrier for IS, which can often trigger the interruption of symbiotic relationships. In this study, we investigate through an agent-based model whether introducing waste inventories—as a tool to counteract supply–demand mismatches—can increase the environmental and economic performance of an ISN and enhance its resilience. A case study involving marble producers and concrete producers exchanging marble residuals is used as a simulation setting. The analysis is performed with different levels of market dynamicity, disruptions' probability and magnitude, and waste inventory capacity. The main results suggest that inventories can increase both the economic and environmental performance of the ISN. This enhancement contributes to strengthening the link between symbiotic partners, resulting in a positive impact on network resilience.