A representation of the steps in creating a circular economy where waste is virtually eliminated through use and reuse.

Circular economy

Industrial symbiosis

The circular economy is an emerging sustainable system to keep resources and materials in use for as long as possible by repurposing, recycling, or remanufacturing instead of just disposing as waste. It represents an evolution from a take-make-dispose way of doing business, transforming one industry’s waste into added-value resources, creating jobs, environmental benefits and economic growth in our communities.

Industrial symbiosis is a strategy within the circular economy that recycles and reuses materials whenever possible. Resources (raw materials, water, energy, etc.) are used sparingly to turn old into new. This creates obvious advantages. Recycling becomes part of the production process, reducing waste and greenhouse gases, while also reducing dependance on raw materials. From an economic standpoint, a circular economy stimulates innovation and creates new business opportunities, offering both environmental benefits and economic growth for our communities. 

Resources to "fuel" the circular economy

About the Industrial Symbiosis Program

Legislation and reports

Industry organizations

Training and education

Contact Us

Want to connect with industry partners?

For general information on the Industrial Symbiosis Grant Program
circulareconomy@commerce.wa.gov

Contact Kyle Gitchell
Circular Economy Development Director

Contact Leslie Perkins
Circular Economy Development Manager

Transforming industrial waste into beneficial resources

Industrial symbiosis grant program
Waste reduction • innovation • economic growth

The industrial symbiosis grant program grows the circular economy, reducing industrial waste and encouraging recycling innovation. Commerce grants fund innovative programs, from research and development through implementation. Eligible entities divert and innovate one organization’s waste into value-added inputs for another industry or industries — whether heat, energy, water, biomass or other materials. Established in 2022, the goals are to reduce environmental impacts in our communities, develop resilient local supply chains and grow circular economic opportunities across Washington state.

To date, Commerce has awarded over $5 million to multiple grant recipients for industrial symbiosis projects spanning across 27 counties in the state. Along with the matching funds invested by each project, this reflects over $10 million of cumulative industrial symbiosis project work across Washington. Another $2.4 million will be awarded over the 2025-2027 biennium. Past grant awardees include:

Fiscal Year 2025
  • Angmartek (King County): award to develop a regional waste data and communication technologies platform to facilitate reuse of waste streams across industries ($231,693)
  • Biomethane (Spokane County): award to develop improved regional organics separation to produce renewable natural gas through anaerobic digestion ($153,750)
  • Center for Sustainable Infrastructure (Clark, Chelan, Clallam, and Spokane Counties): award for facilitation work with community partners in four counties to research opportunities for developing potential industrial symbiosis projects ($323,755)
  • Composite Recycling Technology Center/CRTC (Clallam County): award for research and development of multiple scrap waste streams diverted from regional industries to be able to manufacture into a durable construction building block ($150,000)
  • Corumat (Benton County): award to demonstrate the feasibility of processing organics waste together with bioplastic food packaging resulting in lactic acid used for producing bioplastic packaging ($319,159)
  • Delivery Stork (Thurston County): award to integrate biochar pyrolysis into composting operations to maximize the processing of diverted disposable diaper waste ($154,600)
  • Hyas Food Group (Benton County): award to design a co-located food manufacturing facility utilizing the waste heat energy generated by adjacent agricultural facility ($452,091)
  • Pure Blue Tech (Whatcom County): award to pilot the Membrane Element Re Center to recover, recycle, and remanufacture used spiral wound polymeric membrane elements from industry ($368,952)
  • Refugee Artisan Initiative (King County): award to recover and transform hard to recycle large scale advertising plastic waste into marketable circular products, including workforce skills training ($322,252)
  • Simonpietri Enterprises (Pierce County): award for a feasibility engineering study to develop a co-located solid waste to fuel processing facility to produce renewable natural gas for adjacent port users ($300,000)
  • Tidal Vision Products (Grays Harbor, Whatcom, and Pacific Counties): award to divert biomass waste from commercial seafood processing to be transformed into clean chemistry biopolymers used in various applications ($475,700)
Fiscal Year 2024
  • Cascadia Produce (King County): award to establish a retail hub and distribution center for rescued food, develop an online rescued food marketplace for expanded direct access, and pilot test the delivery logistics for highest efficiency ($250,000)
  • Qualterra (Spokane County): award to innovate various biomass waste streams into a marketable biochar product to bolster crop production. Project processes also generated renewable energy power for greenhouse experiment trials ($206,857)
  • Waste Loop (Chelan County): award to create the Wenatchee Valley Reuse Innovation Center as a public circular marketplace to facilitate the diversion and reuse and refurbishment of materials from construction and industrial waste ($157,326)
  • Washington State University (Whitman County): award for research and development of biochar produced from forestry residues and municipal biosolids waste, tested as a carbon-neutral alternative additive into concrete for the built environment ($235,817)
Fiscal Year 2023
  • Inland Empire Paper (Spokane County): award for research and develop a process to convert fly ash into a usable pelletized form for efficient soil application using conventional farm equipment ($250,000)
  • Chomp (formally Impact Bioenergy ) (Vashon Island): award to demonstrate anaerobic digestion of farm based organic waste to create biofertilizer and generate renewable natural gas to adjacent food manufacturing plant, with additional benefit of waste heat exchange ($104,584)
  • Qualterra (formerly NuPhY) (Whitman County): award to demonstrate the conversion of regional agricultural, timber, and industrial biomass waste into biochar mixtures to benefit agricultural end users, while also generating carbon-negative renewable energy for greenhouse use ($245,416)
  • Myno Carbon (Stevens County): award for research and development of a carbon removal facility at regional power generating station to convert wood waste into biochar and carbon-negative electricity. Includes facility waste CO2 capture by utilizing local basalt ($250,000)
Fiscal Year 2022
  • City of Pasco (Franklin County): award for research and development of an algae denitrification system to reduce the nitrate levels in food processing wastewater treatment, while producing valuable byproducts ($50,000)
  • Washington State University (Whitman County): award for research and development to further evaluate the potential impacts of industrial fly ash, agricultural lime, and biochar products on highly acidic soil for increased agriculture productivity ($90,000)
  • Washington State University (Whitman County): award for research and development to reduce composting facility odors and greenhouse gas emissions at lab scale using biochar waste generated from a regional power generating station ($40,000)

Industrial symbiosis parks

Strengthening the circular economy includes developing industrial symbiosis parks in Washington, transforming collectively generated waste into valuable resources for shared use. Partnerships at industrial symbiosis parks share more reliable supply chain sourcing, development of market end users, and increased productivity and reduced environmental impact in surrounding communities. Commerce supports two of these parks  in Washington. 

Longview Industrial Symbiosis Park (Cowlitz County): Engagement with existing industrial companies, public and private industrial park landowners, analysis of municipal infrastructure and land use regulations, and business expansion/recruitment opportunities ($150,000).

Pasco Agricultural Symbiosis Industrial Park (Franklin County): Facilitation of business partnerships, development of shared renewable energy, research of opportunities from wastewater processing, sustainable food packaging, analysis of municipal infrastructure and land use regulations and business recruitment opportunities ($150,000).

Recycling Market Development Center

The Recycling Market Development Center (RMDC) is an interagency partnership program with the Department of Ecology, creating innovative circular economy systems and resilient markets that help prevent and reduce waste. Governed by RCW 70A.240, agency staff collaborates with a volunteer advisory board comprised of a diverse array of members. Activities include collaborative community partnerships on specific material solutions, conducting and producing research on market issues, provide business assistance and support initiatives in waste prevention, recycling, reuse, and repair for greater community resilience.

NextCycle WA: This is a circular economy business accelerator for emerging and early stage entrepreneurs. Participants create innovative ways to reduce environmental harm to communities by reducing waste. This six-month program culminates with a dynamic pitch showcase which features the cohort participants telling their project story for potential partners and funding resources.

Office Hours

M-F: 8am - 5pm

Address

2001 Sixth Ave., Suite 2600, Seattle, WA  98121

Email

ChooseWashington@commerce.wa.gov

Phone

(206) 256-6100