Implementing the Results of Material Flow Analysis

discussed among the widerpublic. Pressure points in-cluding climate change,waterandfoodavailability,price surges for strategicraw materials, and peakingglobal oil supply are con-verging rapidly in an un-precedented manner. Thecurrent global patterns ofproduction and consump-tion are hitting the reallimitsofglobalecosystems.The global economy seems to be at a turningpoint where decisions are urgent while informa-tion is incomplete.The urgency of addressing issues of industrialmetabolism

The concept of metabolism takes root in biology and ecology as a systematic way to account for material flows in organisms and ecosystems. Early applications of the concept attempted to quantify the amount of water and food the human body processes to live and sustain itself. Similarly, ecologists have long studied the metabolism of critical substances and nutrients in ecological succession towards climax. With industrialization, the material and energy requirements of modern economic activities have grown exponentially, together with emissions to the air, water and soil. From an analogy with ecosystems, the concept of metabolism grew into an analytical methodology for economic systems. Research in the field of material flow analysis has developed approaches to modeling economic systems by assessing the stocks and flows of substances and materials for systems defined in space and time. Material flow analysis encompasses different methods: industrial and urban metabolism, input–output analysis, economy-wide material flow accounting, socioeconomic metabolism, and more recently material flow cost accounting. Each method has specific scales, reference substances such as metals, and indicators such as concentration. A material flow analysis study usually consists of a total of four consecutive steps: (a) system definition, (b) data acquisition, (c) calculation, and (d) interpretation. The law of conservation of mass underlies every application, which implies that all material flows, as well as stocks, must be accounted for. In the early 21st century, material depletion, accumulation, and recycling are well-established cases of material flow analysis. Diagnostics and forecasts, as well as historical or backcast analyses, are ideally performed in a material flow analysis, to identify shifts in material consumption for product life cycles or physical accounting and to evaluate the material and energy performance of specific systems. In practice, material flow analysis supports policy and decision making in urban planning, energy planning, economic and environmental performance, development of industrial symbiosis and eco industrial parks, closing material loops and circular economy, pollution remediation/control and material and energy supply security. Although material flow analysis assesses the amount and fate of materials and energy rather than their environmental or human health impacts, a tacit assumption states that reduced material throughputs limit such impacts.

Summary The notion of a (socio-) metabolic transition has been used todescribe fundamental changes in socioeconomic energy andmaterial use during industrialization. During the last century,Japandevelopedfromalargelyagrarianeconomytooneoftheworld’s leading industrial nations. It is one of the few industrialcountries that has experienced prolonged dematerializationand recently has adopted a rigorous resource policy. This arti-cle investigates changes in Japan’s metabolism during industri-alization on the basis of a material flow account for the periodfrom 1878 to 2005. It presents annual data for material ex-traction, trade, and domestic consumption by major materialgroup and explores the relations among population growth,economic development, and material (and energy) use. Dur-ing the observed period, the size of Japan’s metabolism grewby a factor of 40, and the share of mineral and fossil materialsin domestic material consumption (DMC) grew to more than90%. Much of the growth in the Japanese metabolism wasbased on imported materials and occurred in only 20 yearsafter World War II (WWII), when Japan rapidly built up largestocks of built infrastructure, developed heavy industry, andadopted patterns of mass production and consumption. Thesurge in material use came to an abrupt halt with the firstoil crisis, however. Material use stabilized, and the economyeventually began to dematerialize. Although gross domesticproduct (GDP) grew much faster than material use, improve-mentsinmaterialintensityarearelativelyrecentphenomenon.Japanemergesasarolemodelforthemetabolictransitionbutis also exceptional in many ways.www.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jie

Using Material Flow Analysis for Sustainable Materials Management

Material flow analysis( MFA) is an objective,quantifiable and concise tool for system assessment. As the core content of industrial ecology,it includes bulk-MFA and substance flow analysis( SFA),has been widely applied in different environmental-economic systems at global-level,nation-level,region-level and city-level,and developed into a significant tool in quantifying circular economy,eco-efficiency,low-carbon society and other concepts of sustainable development. In recent years,as MFA at the nation-level come to be a standard research method on the basis of studies carried by World Resources Institute and European Commission,research importance of MFA at smaller scale highlights, and studies of material flow,metabolism and resource flow at regional level become the focus and hotspots of MFA. Based on analysis of existing studies,current status of regional MFA is briefly reviewed from perspectives of research framework, indicator system,data integration and management application,and "black box hypothesis"and "systematic metaphor" turned out to be the theoretical root of current difficulty of regional MFA. Based on levels of organization integrated with complexity science and grand evolutionary theory,metaphor of"ecosystem"in industrial ecology as well as regional MFA is generally analyzed,and the necessity of introduction of"landscape"into regional MFA is raised to improve the spatial and cognitive dimension of regional MFA. From "system"to "landscape",landscape ecology principles are introduced in the regional MFA,contributions of landscape ecology in regional MFA are generalized in 6 tenets: 1) emphasizing the structural difference between natural ecosystem and socio-economic system,and providing a hierarchical and integrativeecological basis; 2) the landscape( or region) as a basic spatial unit for studying human-nature interactions,providing a holistic approaches to socio-ecological systems; 3) combine "flow"in MFA with "source"and "sink"in landscape, combine "stock or reservoir"with "patch",and "flow or flux"with "corridor",and transfer "material flow in system" into "material flow in space"; 4) developing material flow observation,investigation and experiment in landscape,combine subjective and objective data in a mechanistic method; 5) combine material flow of great amount with patch dynamic and assess the environmental impact based on spatial variation; 6) combine MFA with other tools of sustainability assessment like ecological footprint and sustainable livelihood,and providing implications for regional management. Based on "PatchCorridor-Matrix Model","patch dynamics","Hierarchy theory",as well as the "Hierarchical Patch Dynamic Paradigm( HPDP) ",spatial structure of regional material flow process is established and interpreted. Meanwhile,cognitive schemata of regional material flow process is analyzed and compared from psychological and logical perspectives. For further interpretation of the landscape orientation of regional MFA,multi-scale integrated assessment of material flow analysis, spatial-temporal modeling of material flow process and spatial management of material flow process are discussed deeply. At the end of this paper,regional MFA is further considered from a perspective of interdisciplinary,it concludes that rather than reflects the competition between ecosystem ecology and landscape ecology,paradigm shift from system to landscape of regional MFA solidifies the theoretical basis of MFA,and expands the research field of landscape ecology.

Based on a case study in a Sri Lankan crepe rubber mill, this study performs a comprehensive sustainability assessment to uncover the underlying potential of improving the performance of the NR processing sector. This sustainability assessment consists of three steps: 1. quantification of mill`s resource use, economic loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and the impact on workers using material flow analysis (MFA), material flow cost accounting (MFCA), environmental life cycle assessment (ELCA), and social life cycle assessment (SLCA). 2. Selection and proposal of improvement options with the help of Pareto and What-if analyses, field interviews, and literature; and 3. Validation of the suggested improvement options via the re-execution of MFA, MFCA, LCA, and SLCA. With the support of this methodical hierarchy, the underlying economic, environmental, and social hotspots in the current manufacturing process can be identified, and moreover, the degree of improvement potential can also be assessed. Keywords: n atural rubber processing, material flow analysis (MFA), material flow cost accounting (MFCA), environmental life cycle assessment (ELCA), social life cycle assessment (SLCA)

In this study, nitrogen (N) loads in Day-Nhue River Basin (DNRB) in Vietnam were quantified (at river basin and province scale) via field observation and application of material flow analysis (MFA). By developing L(Q) curves, measured N loads were estimated from water level data and N content of rivers. N loads from DNRB to Tonkin Gulf were quantified by MFA. The gaps between MFA results and measurements were increased from 4.48 to 21.47% corresponding to the accumulative rainfall from year 2008 to 2010. Results illustrate that MFA can estimate potential N load across the river basin to surface water. Observed ranges in upstream and downstream river loads were different at 55–84% and 5–20% respectively, corresponding well with those estimated by MFA. MFA is effective at quantifying N load to surface water the downstream regions, which are mainly used for paddy agriculture. Original N sources were traced via MFA, identifying that decreasing chemical fertilizer application rates and pretreatment of drainage water before discharging to the surface water reduce N load from the DNRB to the surface water. Additionally, MFA identified a hidden flow in the upstream portion of the DNRB, which meant that measurement data were under-estimated.

In this study, we assessed environmental impact related to cement industry, concrete industry and several industries using limestone by Material Flow Analysis. Especially, cement industry and concrete industry were assessed by Material Flow Accounting, and calcium was assessed which is principal ingredient of limestone by Material Balance Analysis. The obtained results are: Firstly, environmental impact index (DMI, HMF, TMR) related to cement industry and concrete industry was calculated from 1990 to 1994 by Material Flow Accounting. From these index, direct inputs of natural resources to each industry were found and potential of environmental impact that was caused by producing action of each industries could be assessed. Secondly, limestone flow both direct input and indirect input to cement industry and concrete industry was obtained in 1994. From this flow, utilization and consumption of limestone was found, and total evaluation of effective use of limestone was possible. Furthermore, we verified material flow analysis from the obtained result.

SummaryThis article is the first of a two‐part series that describes and compares the essential features of nine existing “physical economy” approaches for quantifying the material demands of the human economy upon the natural environment. A range of material flow analysis (MFA) and related techniques is assessed and compared in terms of several major dimensions. These include the system boundary identification for material flow sources, extents, and the key socioinstitutional entities containing relevant driving forces, as well as the nature and detailing of system components and flow interconnections, and the comprehensiveness and types of flows and materials covered.Shared conceptual themes of a new wave of physical economy approaches are described with a brief overview of the potential applications of this broad family of methodologies. The evolving and somewhat controversial nature of the characteristics and role that define MFA is examined. This review suggests the need to specify whether MFA is a general metabolic flow measurement procedure that can be applied from micro to macrolevels of economic activity, or a more specific methodology aimed primarily at economy‐wide analyses that “map” the material relations between society and nature. Some alternative options for classifying MFA are introduced for discussion before a more detailed comparative summary of the key methodological features of each approach in the second part of this two‐part article.The review is presented (1) as a reference and resource for the increasing number of policy makers and practitioners involved in industrial ecology and the evaluation of the material basis of economies and the formulation of eco‐efficiency strategies, and (2) to provoke discussion and ongoing dialogue to clarify the many existing areas of discordance in environmental accounting related to material flows, and help consolidate the methodological basis and application of MFA.

Material flow analysis (MFA), a central methodology of industrial ecology, quantifies the ways in which the materials that enable modern society are used, reused, and lost. Sankey diagrams, termed the "visible language of industrial ecology", are often employed to present MFA results. This Perspective assesses the history and current status of MFA, reviews the development of the methodology, presents current examples of metal, polymer, and fiber MFAs, and demonstrates that MFAs have been responsible for creating related industrial ecology specialties and stimulating connections between industrial ecology and a variety of engineering and social science fields. MFA approaches are now being linked with environmental input-output assessment, scenario development, and life cycle assessment, and these increasingly comprehensive assessments promise to be central tools for sustainable development and circular economy studies in the future. Current shortcomings and promising innovations are also presented, as are the implications of MFA results for corporate and national policy.

Part 1 Context and history: industrial ecology - goals and definitions, Reid Lifset and Thomas E. Graedel exploring the history of industrial metabolism, Marina Fischer-Kowalski the recent history of industrial ecology, Suren Erkman industrial ecology and cleaner production, Tim Jackson on industrial ecosystems, Robert U. Ayres industrial ecology - governance, laws and regulations, Braden R. Allenby industrial ecology and industrial metabolism - use and misuse of metaphors, Allan Johansson. Part 2 Methodology: material flow analysis, Stefan Bringezu and Yuichi Moriguchi substance flow analysis (SFA) methodology, Ester van der Voet physical input-output accounting, Gunter Strassert process analysis approach to industrial ecology, Urmila Diwekar and Mitchell Small industrial ecology and life cycle assessment, Helias A. Udo de Haes impact evaluation in industrial ecology, Bengt Steen. Part 3 Economics and industrial ecology: environmental accounting and material flow analysis, Peter Bartelmus materials flow analysis (MFA) and economic modelling, Karin Ibenholt exergy flows in the economy -efficiency and dematerialization, Robert U. Ayres transmaterialization, Walter C. Labys dematerialization and rematerialization as two recurring phenomena of industrial ecology, Sabder De Bruyn optimal resource extraction, Matthias Ruth industrial ecology and technology policy - Japanese experience, Chihiro Watanabe. Part 4 Industrial ecology at the national/regional level: global biogeochemical cycles, Vaclav Smil material flow accounts - the United States and the world, Donald G. Rogich and Grecia R. Matos industrial ecology -analyses for sustainable resource and materials management in Germany and Europe, Stefan Bringezu material flow analysis and industrial ecology studies in Japan, Yuichi Moriguchi industrial ecology - an Australian case study, Andria Durney industrial ecology - United Kingdom, Heinz Schandl and Niels Schulz industrial symbiosis - the legacy of Kalundborg, John R. Ehrenfeld and Marian R. Chertow. Part 5 Industrial ecology at the sectoral/materials level: material flows due to mining and urbanization, Ian Douglas and Nigel Lawson long term world metal use - application of industrial ecology in a system-dynamics model, Detlef P. van Vuuren et al risks of metal flows and accumulation, Jeroen B. Guinee and Ester van der Voet material constraints on technology evolution - the case of scarce metals and emerging energy technologies, Bjorn A. Andersson and Ingrid Rade wastes as raw materials, David T. Allen heavy metals in agrosystems, Simon W. Moolenaar industrial ecology and automotive systems, Thomas E. Graedel et al the information industry, Brande R. Allenby. Part 6 Applications and policy implications: industrial ecology and green design, Chris T. Hendrickson et al industrial ecology and risk analysis, Paul R. Kleindorfer industrial ecology and spatial planning, Clinton J. Andrews industrial estates as model eco

Material use within construction dominates resource consumption worldwide. Correspondingly, construction is associated with high rates of waste. Transitioning to a circular economy relies heavily on domestic markets, efficient supply chains, and a clear understanding of current and predicted material flows. Material flow analyses have been used extensively globally to generate insights into materials in use, changes over time and future waste generation. However, existing databases do not hold the necessary information to conduct such an analysis for the Australian residential construction industry. This paper uses a novel qualitative bottom-up approach to complement data gaps in existing databases to establish a material stock and flow analysis of the Australian residential construction industry. This approach has highlighted the dominance and continued growth of concrete by the sector, and has shown the importance of addressing data gaps in the industry as well as employing a location-based approach to move towards the circular economy.

The material consumption of societies can be balanced in national resource budgets (NRB). A NRB is the application of Material Flow Analysis (MFA) to defined regions, such as nations (see, for example, the paper by Buchner et al. [1]). NRB can support decision-making in resource management in national policies and businesses, i.e. regarding security of resource supply, security of waste disposal, and design of recycling strategies. To a vast degree, the precision of NRB is dependent on the available information base. Most often, this information base consists of cross-disciplinary data, that is, unstructured data from various disciplines that come in different forms and from heterogeneous sources such as official trade statistics, scientific findings and consumer behavior studies. Until now, there is no common understanding about data and information in MFA. In this study we regard data and information from the perspective of a material flow analyst and propose (i) a terminology for communication about MFA input data; and (ii) a database analysis concept to describe and structure MFA databases. This MFA data concept is illustrated in a case study of a national Aluminium budget. The findings indicate that meta-information can help to structure MFA databases, and can contribute to improved system understanding. This study intends to promote the transparent documentation and precise communication of MFA input data and can be the foundation for better data interpretation and comprehensive MFA data quality assessment.

SummaryDynamic material flow analysis (MFA) provides information about material usage over time and consequent changes in material stocks and flows. In order to understand the effect of limited data quality and model assumptions on MFA results, the use of sensitivity analysis methods in dynamic MFA studies has been on the increase. So far, sensitivity analysis in dynamic MFA has been conducted by means of a one‐at‐a‐time method, which tests parameter perturbations individually and observes the outcomes on output. In contrast to that, variance‐based global sensitivity analysis decomposes the variance of the model output into fractions caused by the uncertainty or variability of input parameters. The present study investigates interaction and time‐delay effects of uncertain parameters on the output of an archetypal input‐driven dynamic material flow model using variance‐based global sensitivity analysis. The results show that determining the main (first‐order) effects of parameter variations is often sufficient in dynamic MFA because substantial effects attributed to the simultaneous variation of several parameters (higher‐order effects) do not appear for classical setups of dynamic material flow models. For models with time‐varying parameters, time‐delay effects of parameter variation on model outputs need to be considered, potentially boosting the computational cost of global sensitivity analysis. Finally, the implications of exploring the sensitivities of model outputs with respect to parameter variations in the archetypical model are used to derive model‐ and goal‐specific recommendations on choosing appropriate sensitivity analysis methods in dynamic MFA.

Plastic in our marine environment is now ubiquitous. Abandoned lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is of particular concern due to its ability to continue to function as a trap for marine organisms. In order for decision makers to act on this grave issue, we require data on the flow of ALDFG into the marine environment. One key tool for revealing the flow of material within a specific system is Material Flow Analysis (MFA). MFA takes a life cycle approach (cradle to grave) to assess energy or material flows in a system within space and time boundaries. It can be applied at multiple levels from the industrial process level to the national level. This chapter presents a case study of an MFA conducted on fishing gear in Norway. The MFA methodology was used in this case study to assess the flow of plastic fishing gear from production through to recycling, final disposal or loss to the marine environment. Data was collected for the MFA through stakeholder interviews, literature reviews and analysis of government data sets. The MFA revealed that around 4000 tons of plastic fishing gear enters the system in Norway and around 400 tons enter the marine environment each year. An analysis of the implications of the MFA for the key actors within the life cycle chain of fishing gear is presented and a short description of the links between MFA and the circular economy and sustainable development is provided. Furthermore, the relevance and implications of using MFA tool for policy making at national and regional level is discussed and elaborated while associated challenges are presented here.