Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 July 2014
In this paper, we propose an industrial symbiosis network equilibrium model by usingnonlinear complementarity theory. The industrial symbiosis network consists of industrialproducers, industrial consumers, industrial decomposers and demand markets, which imitatesnatural ecosystem by means of exchanging by-products and recycling useful materialsexacted from wastes. The industrial producers and industrial consumers are assumed to beconcerned with maximization of economic profits as well as minimization of emissions. Wedescribe the optimizing behavior, derive optimality conditions of the variousdecision-makers along with respective economic interpretations and establish the nonlinearcomplementarity model in accordance with the industrial symbiosis network equilibriumconditions. Based on the existence proof of the corresponding nonlinear complementaritymodel under reasonable assumptions, two groups of numerical examples are given toillustrate the rationality as well as the effectiveness of the model.