Environmental performance indicators as the key for eco-industrial parks in Thailand

Since the introduction of the Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) concept to Thailand, developers were keen on having clear guidelines about how to achieve EIP status. This research focuses on establishment of EID indicators that can be simply used to evaluate Eco-Industrial Estates or industrial parks using the concepts of sustainable development and industrial ecology. Forty three (43) indicators were identified and ranked considering their importance and the complexity. Furthermore, a three (3) tier system was developed to identify the level of eco-industrial development initiatives. It was revealed that environmental performance was the key to the success of Eco-industrial parks. The platinum tier was used to certify the environmental performance of an EIP. The significance levels of the indicators were used to rank the concerns of EIP stakeholders. These insights are important in establishing trust among stakeholders and to serve as guidelines for policy makers and strategy planners. Important policy implications are also suggested.