On Transition Of High-tech Industrial Zones To ECO-industrial Parks

Eco-industrial Park (EIP) is one of the third generation industrial parks in China and theconstruction emphasis of the future. It is the practice result of circular economy, cleanerproduction and ecological industrial chain (EIC) in small scale. Compared with Economic&Technology Development Zones (ETDZs) and Hi-tech Development Zones (HDZs), the EIPshave a number of advantages, such as lower energy consumption and less population. ETDZsand HDZs will develop to EIPs in the evolution process.In1999, the Ministry of Environmental Protection starts to build the first national EIP,the national eco-industrial park of Guigang, Guangxi. By March2013, China had alreadybuilt20national EIPs, and53others were in the building process.In the paper, we analyzed the current situation of EIPs in types, construction time,geographical distribution and construction sources, compared with ETDZ and HDZ insupervisor, temporal and geographical distribution. Suggestions on the development of EIPsin China are given.Through the SWOT analysis, we analyzed the strength, weakness, opportunity andthreaten of the State Yangling Demonstration Zone of Agricultural Hi-Tech Industriesdeveloping to an EIP. During the investigation on the background knowledge of local people,suggestions of “what is the most suitable development routine of Yangling?” were collected.Combined with the current situation of four major industries in Yangling, suggestions onfuture development were given. The conclusions are as follows.First, the building speed of EIPs is at a high level. In the past three years, there are morethan ten parks approved by the government annually. Now the main types of EIPs in Chinaare comprehensive EIPs, mostly coming from the HDZs and ETDZs. Most EIPs are in theeast of China and Jiangsu has the largest number. Most EIPs are heavy chemical parks, thoseof light industries are lack, and there is no agricultural park either.Second, Yangling has advantages in political, location and technology compared withother agricultural parks in China, especially in the technology because of the Northwest A&F University. But as an agricultural park, it has disadvantages in short industry chain and lack ofcore factory compared with others. Every year, the central government invests a lot in thefurther development of existing industry parks. The increase of environment awareness andthe establishment of Guanzhong—Tianshui Economic Zone are superior opportunities forYangling to build the EIP. In the building process, Yangling should consider the competitionfrom other HDZs or ETDZs in Xi’an.Third, local people in Yangling have no concept about the EIP, but something about thecircular economy, this maybe help us greatly in the propaganda of EIP in the future. Peopleare satisfied with the environment in Yangling, they hope the government could protect riverwater, grass space and agricultural farm in further development. They think that pollutionindustries should not be set up in Yangling.Lastly, in the building process of EIP, we should overall think about the current situationof Yangling, and carefully construct different industries. Suggestions about completing thenet of circular economy, building the virtual EIP, promoting the certification ofenvironmental management system, infrastructure share and building the education systemare given.