Port of Bellingham Selected for Industrial Symbiosis Technical Assistance
WA legislature established program to develop "Industrial Symbiosis Parks" that boost local economies and reduce greenhouse gases
The Port of Bellingham is among seven Washington communities looking to develop industrial symbiosis parks or hubs that will receive technical assistance from the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure (CSI) thanks to the Washington Department of Commerce's Industrial Symbiosis Technical Assistance Program (ISTA Program) established by the Washington Legislature.
Whatcom County Industrial Symbiosis Feasibility Project -- The Port envisions using this opportunity to explore creating an industrial symbiosis hub that connects resource streams from the agricultural and forestry sectors in rural areas of Whatcom County. Stakeholders including agricultural producers, particularly dairies, wood and forest product manufacturers, food recovery networks, Whatcom County, the City of Bellingham, Kulshan Carbon Trust, Whatcom PUD, and Puget Sound Energy have committed to partnering with the Port in the ISTA Program to explore industrial symbiosis opportunities that improve resource efficiency, reduce waste, and create value from underutilized materials.
The Port manages approximately 1,600 acres of land and 300 acres of tidelands throughout the county. Rather than relying on a single development site, the proposed hub will leverage the Port's diverse portfolio of properties and industrial infrastructure to facilitate resource exchange among participating entities.
"This technical assistance program will provide an important opportunity to explore how industrial symbiosis can strengthen our regional economy,” said Port Executive Director Tiffany DeSimone. “By connecting businesses and infrastructure in ways that turn waste streams into valuable resources, we can create new opportunities for investment, innovation, and job creation. We are encouraged by the leadership shown by ports and communities across Washington, including the Port of Pasco and Longview's industrial symbiosis initiatives, and we look forward to applying those lessons locally."
CSI’s team of engineers, industrial ecologists, infrastructure planners, and implementation experts -- including the world's leading IS experts in Denmark -- will provide comprehensive technical assistance for these communities as they develop industrial symbiosis parks or hubs. The end-goal of CSI's technical assistance is for each selected community to emerge with a first-in-line, prioritized Industrial Symbiosis capital project that is ready to advance into preliminary design, environmental review, and the pursuit of capital funding. IS parks are typically shared sites or properties where organizations co-locate and partner to use resources more sustainably by integrating waste streams, such as waste materials, wastewater, or waste heat, into production processes.
CSI will implement the ISTA Program in a four-phase approach over about 10 months, with all work to be completed no later than June 30, 2027.
"We're thrilled to be able to help more Washington communities to turn waste into wealth," said Rhys Roth, Executive Director for the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure. "This is a golden opportunity to help local leaders apply Industrial Symbiosis principles to develop industrial hubs that make energy, water, and material resources more reliable, exchangeable, affordable, and sustainable.”
About the ISTA Program
Funding for this technical assistance comes from a $1.825 million award to CSI from the Washington Department of Commerce through its Industrial Symbiosis Technical Assistance Program, with funds derived from Washington's Climate Commitment Act in the 2025-2027 budget. The legislature created the program to provide communities with expert analysis of resources, waste streams, and sustainable infrastructure solutions for local Industrial Symbiosis Parks, to spur economic development, conserve resources, and reduce climate pollution.
CSI received applications for IS Technical Assistance from 22 eligible entities, including cities, ports, private businesses, tribes, and economic development councils, from throughout Washington. Other communities receiving IS technical assistance include the Ports of Pend Oreille, Camas-Washougal and Moses Lake, Thurston County Economic Development Council, Spokane-based Biomethane, LLC, and Wenatchee-based Our Valley, Our Future.
In the past two years, CSI has delivered similar IS technical assistance to projects in Port Angeles, Vancouver, Longview, Wenatchee, and Spokane.
About Industrial Symbiosis
Industrial symbiosis is an innovative approach to infrastructure and economic development in which one facility’s waste streams—energy, water, materials, and residuals—become valuable
inputs for other businesses. This model maximizes resource efficiency, reduces greenhouse gas (and other) emissions, and stimulates economic growth.
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
The nonprofit Center for Sustainable Infrastructure works to support and accelerate the development of sustainable infrastructure centered on Industrial Symbiosis solutions in communities throughout the Pacific Northwest.
CSI is the Pacific Northwest’s leader in Industrial Symbiosis policy development and the delivery of technical assistance. CSI has galvanized broad bipartisan support in the Washington and Oregon legislatures to direct over $16 million toward IS innovation.
The Washington Industrial Symbiosis Technical Assistance Program is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov
