The chemical industry has tremendous opportunities for applied industrial ecology. The unavoidable
wastes of many chemical companies could be turned into new chemical products by others if enough willpower
is focused. Designing chemicals to do more with less increases the industrial system’s metabolic
efficiency, as does using inputs derived from natural renewable sources such as plant stocks instead of nonrenewable
petroleum. Increased vertical and horizontal integration can create significant competitive advantages
as well as increasing management and product efficiencies.