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The Case for
Material Blows AnaBysi
Committee on Material Flows Accounting of
Natural Resources, Products, and Residuals
Board on Earth Sciences and Resources
Committee on Earth Resources
Division on Earth and Life Studies
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS
Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20001
NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Gov-
erning Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from
the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engi-
neering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible
for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for ap-
propriate balance.
This study was supported by Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency,
Award No. DE-AM01-99PO80016 (Task Order No. DE-AT01-OlEE41422~; National
Science Foundation, Award No. EAR-0122257; Environmental Protection Agency
through National Science Foundation; U.S. Geological Survey Award No. 01-
HQGR0068. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed
in this publication are those of the authoress and do not necessarily reflect the
views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
International Standard Book Number 0-309-08944-1 (Book)
International Standard Book Number 0-309-51714-1 (PDF)
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2003114554
Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press,
500 Fifth Street, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202)
334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area); Internet, http://www.nap.edu
Cover: Design by Michael Dudzik. Photo courtesy of PhotoDisc, Inc. (upper left
and right); Digital Stock Corp. (center and lower left); and Corbis Corp. (lower
right).
Copyright 2004 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating soci-
ety of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedi-
cated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general
welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863,
the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on
scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National
Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter
of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding
engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its mem-
bers, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advis-
ing the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors
engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and
research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf
is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of
Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in
the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Insti-
tute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its
congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its
own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr.
Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sci-
ences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with
the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal gov-
ernment. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Acad-
emy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National
Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing ser-
vices to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communi-
ties. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of
Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. Wm. A. Wulf are chair and vice chair,
respectively, of the National Research Council.
www. nationa l-academies.org
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COMMITTEE ON MATERIAL FLOWS ACCOUNTING OF
NATURAL RESOURCES, PRODUCTS, AND RESIDUALS
R. LARRY GRAYSON, Chair, University of Missouri-Rolla
DAVID T. ALLEN, University of Texas, Austin
BRADEN ALLENBY, AT&T Corporation, Bedminister, New Jersey
CORBY G. ANDERSON, Montana Tech, Butte
SCOTT R. BAKER, International Copper Association, New York,
New York
DAVID BERRY, Department of Interior (retired), Annandale, Virginia
ROBERT COSTANZA, University of Vermont, Burlington
THOMAS E. GRAEDEL, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
rOYCE LEE, City of New York Office of Management and Budget,
New York
WAYNE B. TRUSTY, ATHENA Sustainable Material Institute,
Merrickville, Ontario, Canada
DIRK PA. VAN ZYL, University of Nevada, Reno
Staff
TAMARA L. DICKINSON, Study Director
MONICA R. LIPSCOMB, Research Assistant (from February 2003)
EILEEN McTAGUE, Research Assistant June 2002 to February 2003)
KAREN L. IMHOF, Senior Project Assistant
v
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COMMITTEE ON EARTH RESOURCES
SUSAN M. LANDON, Chair, Thomasson Partner Associates, Denver,
Colorado
TAMES C. COBB, University of Kentucky, Lexington
VICKI COWART, Consulting Geologist, Denver, Colorado
PATRICK CUMMINS, Western Governors' Association, Denver,
Colorado
THOMAS V. FALKIE, Berwind Natural Resources Corporation,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
MURRAY W. HITZMAN, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado
MICHAEL L. MENGE, U.S. Senate Committee for Energy and Natural
Resources, (retired), Dover, Arkansas
rOHN N. MURPHY, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
DONALD L. PAUL, ChevronTexaco Corporation, San Ramon,
California
MARK C. ROBERTS, Michigan Technological University, Houghton
rOAQUIN RUIZ, University of Arizona, Tucson
RUSSELL E. STANDS-OVER-BULL, Arrow Creek Resources, Inc.,
Pryor, Montana
R. BRUCE TIPPIN, North Carolina State University, Asheville
LAWRENCE P. WILDING, Texas A&M University, College Station
P. MICHAEL WRIGHT, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental
Laboratory, Idaho Falls
Staff
TAMARA L. DICKINSON, Senior Program Officer
MONICA R. LIPSCOMB, Research Assistant
KAREN L. IMHOF, Senior Project Assistant
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BOARD ON EARTH SCIENCES AND RESOURCES
GEORGE M. HORNBERGER, Chair, University of Virginia,
Charlottesville
TILL BANFIELD, University of California, Berkeley
STEVEN R. BOHLEN, Joint Oceanographic Institutions,
Washington, D.C.
VICKI COWART, Consulting Geologist, Denver, Colorado
DAVID L. DILCHER, University of Florida, Gainesville
ADAM M. DZIEWONSKI, Harvard University, Cambridge,
Massachusetts
WILLIAM L. GRAF, University of South Carolina, Columbia
RHEA GRAHAM, New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission,
Albuquerque
V. RAMA MURTHY, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
DIANNE R. NIELSON, Utah Department of Environmental Quality,
Salt Lake City
RAYMOND A. PRICE, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
MARK SCHAEFER, NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia
BILLIE L. TURNER II, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts
THOMAS I. WILBANKS, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge,
. . ennessee
Staff
ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Director
PAUL M. CUTLER, Senior Program Officer
TAMARA L. DICKINSON, Senior Program Officer
DAVID A. FEARY, Senior Program Officer
ANNE M. LINN, Senior Program Officer
RONALD F. ABLER, Senior Scholar
KRISTEN L. KRAPF, Program Officer
LISA M. VANDEMARK, Program Officer
YVONNE P. FORSBERGH, Research Assistant
MONICA R. LIPSCOMB, Research Assistant
VERNA J. BOWEN, Administrative Associate
rENNIFER T. ESTEP, Administrative Associate
RADHIKA S. CHARI, Senior Project Assistant
KAREN L. IMHOF, Senior Project Assistant
TERESIA K. WILMORE, Project Assistant
WINFIELD SWANSON, Editor
. .
v''
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JENNIFER T. ESTEP, Administrative Associate
RADHIKA S. CHARI, Senior Project Assistant
KAREN L. IMHOF, Senior Project Assistant
TERESIA K. ANYMORE, Project Assistant
W1NFIELD SWANSON, Editor
. . .
V111
PREPUBLICATION VERSION, SUBJECT TO EDITORIAL CHANGES
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Acknowledgments
his report has been reviewed by individuals chosen for their di-
verse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with pro-
cedures approved by the National Research Council's Report Re-
view Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide
candid and critical comments that will assist the authors and the NRC in
making their published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the
report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and respon-
siveness to the study charge. The content of the review comments and
draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the delib-
erative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their par-
ticipation in the review of this report:
Patrick Atkins, Alcoa Inc.
Robert U. Ayres, INSEAD, Center for the Management of
Environmental and Social Responsibility
Robert W. Bartlett, University of Idaho, (emeritus)
Graham A. Davis, Colorado School of Mines
Robert A. Frosch, Harvard University
I. Brent Hiskey, University of Arizona
Richard T. laffre, Texas Industries, Inc.
Brad Mertz, Utah Valley State College
Mark Schaefer, NatureServe
Valerie Thomas, Princeton University
1 ~
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x
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Although the individuals listed above have provided many construc-
tive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the con-
clusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final report before its
release. The review of this report was overseen by Gordon E. Forward,
U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development, Chairman Emeritus.
Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for mak-
ing certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out
in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments
were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this re-
port rests entirely with the authoring committee and the NRC.
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Preface
I ther the past century, increasing consumption of materials and
energy to meet growing industrial and population demands has
Be_ strained both society and the ecosystem. For about a decade the
world community has been working toward better tracking of material
and energy flows through the economy and into the environment. Some
nations have begun developing indicators of total material requirements,
efficiency of materials use, and the impacts on the environment, while
realizing that social and economic impacts must be assessed and inte-
grated in making related public policy.
Formal economy-wide material flows accounts and analyses began in
Austria in the l990s and then in other European countries, and the efforts
have been coalescing now into a framework with guidelines at the Euro-
pean Union level. lapan has been pursuing similar developments. A1-
though not yet establishing formal material flows accounts, the United
States has a long history of tracking mineral and energy flows through the
U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Mines, and the Energy Information
Administration. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geo-
logical Survey, the Department of Energy, and the National Science Foun-
dation, in sponsoring this study, realized the need to examine the poten-
tial benefits of material flows accounting and analyses, directed toward
making better public policy related to the interactions among industrial
processes, the economy, and the environment.
This report examines the current state of material flows accounting,
the uses and usefulness of the accounts and analyses, and related issues.
Conclusions on these topics are given, along with recommendations
X1
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X11
PERFACE
aimed at implementing an effective material flows accounting system that
could be used to enhance public policy making on the environment, ma-
terials, and energy. The report was prepared based on deliberations and
discussions among members of the committee, who shared their expertise
freely and dedicated themselves to many hours of report writing and re-
vision as well as careful review of a number of report drafts. The commit-
tee was completely engaged during the study, and a pleasure to work
with throughout.
The committee is grateful to a number of experts on material flows
and industrial ecology at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the
U.S. Geological Survey, the Department of Energy, and the National Sci-
ence Foundation, who participated in open information-gathering ses-
sions. Gratitude is also expressed to many other professionals from in-
dustry, associations, nongovernmental organizations, and other state and
federal agencies that participated in the process. For the study, we are
indebted to Anthony de Souza, Director, Board on Earth Sciences and
Resources, and the outstanding assistance of Tammy L. Dickinson, study
director, who guided the committee through the entire process and kept
us focused and organized. Finally, a great debt of gratitude is owed to the
expert reviewers who helped us achieve a cogent and accurate report.
Larry Grayson, Chair
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Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 INTRODUCTION
Study and Report, 14
2 MATERIAL FLOWS ACCOUNTING DEFINITIONS AND
SYSTEM STRUCTURE
Accounting Versus Analysis, 18
Existing Definitions, 19
INFORM Report, 19
International Collaborative Study on Resource Flows, 22
European Union Guidelines, 22
Proposed Definitions, 24
Conceptual Framework, 25
Details of Accounting System Structure, 29
European Union System Structure, 29
New Jersey System Structure, 30
Summary, 31
3 BROAD CONTEXT FOR MATERIAL AND ENERGY FLOWS
INFORMATION
Globalization of the Economy, 33
Sustainable Development, 36
Technology Evolution, 37
Biogeochemical Cycles, 37
Summary, 38
. . .
x'''
1
9
17
33
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XIV
4 MATERIAL FLOWS ACCOUNTING: USES AND
USEFULNESS
Material Flows Information in the Private Sector, 40
DuPont, 40
Alcoa, 41
Vulcan Materials Company, 41
Recycling Industries, 44
U.S. Construction Industry, 47
Material Flows Accounting in the Public Sector and
Nongovernmental Organizations, 48
Multinational Material Flows Accounting and
Derived Indicators, 48
U.S. National Accounting, 49
State Material Flows Accounting, 51
Municipal Accounting Applications, 54
Summary and Findings, 55
5 MATERIAL FLOWS INFORMATION IN THE UNITED
STATES
Evolution of Materials Data, 59
Current Data Sources, 62
Definitional Gaps in the Data, 64
Summary and Findings, 67
6 THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIP IN THE CONDUCT
OF MATERIAL FLOWS ACCOUNTING
Examples of Partnerships, 70
The U.S. Industrial Outlook, 70
The Copper Recycling Initiative, 70
A Life-Cycle Assessment Policy Statement, 71
Life-Cycle Inventory Database, 71
Objectives of Partnership in Material Flows Accounting, 72
Characteristics of Effective Partnership and Partners in Material
Flows Accounting, 72
Effective Partnerships, 72
Effective Partners, 78
Impediments to Effective Partnerships, 78
Summary and Findings, 81
7 RESEARCH CHALLENGES FOR MATERIAL FLOWS
ACCOUNTING
Spatially Discrete Material Flows Accounts, 84
Material Flows Accounts of Linked Systems, 85
CONTENTS
39
59
69
83
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CONTENTS
Dynamic Material Flows Accounting, 86
Multilevel Material Flows Accounts, 88
Material Flows Accounts of Natural Systems, 89
Summary and Findings, 91
8 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
Mission and Goals of the Organization, 94
Partnership a Key to Success, 95
Identifying and Selecting an Advisory Committee, 95
Collaborative Protocol Necessary, 96
Prioritizing Material Flows Accounts, 96
Globalization of Accounts, 96
Outlining an Initial Research Agenda, 97
Supporting Ongoing Activities, 97
Organizational Options and Recommendation, 98
Implementation in a Government Agency, 98
Government Task Force, 99
Independent Organization Affiliated with a
Government Agency, 100
A New Center, 100
Recommendation, 101
Summary, 101
REFERENCES
APPENDIXES
xv
93
103
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS 109
B INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE COMMITTEEE
115
C DETAILED CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIAL INPUTS 117
D DETAILED CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIAL OUTPUTS
E CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIAL STOCK CHANGES
121
123
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MATERIALS COUNT
7 RESEARCH CHALLENGES FOR MATERIAL FLOWS
ACCOUNTING
Spatially Discrete Material Flows Accounts, 94
Matenal Flows Accounts of Linked Systems, 95
Dynamic Material Flows Accounting, 96
Multilevel Matenal Flows Accounts, 99
Material Flows Accounts of Natural Systems, 100
Summary and Findings, 103
8. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
Mission ant} Goals of the Organization, 106
Par~ershi~a Key to Success, 107
Identifying and Selecting an Advisory Committee, 108
Collaborative Protocol Necessary, 108
Prioritizing Material Flows Accounts, 108
Globalization of Accounts, 109
Outlining an Titian Research Agenda, 109
Supporting Ongoing Activities, ~ 10
Organizational Options and Recommendation, 111
Implementation in a Govemment Agency, 1 12
Government Task Force, 112
depenclent Organization Affiliatecl with a
Government Agency, 1 13
A New Center, 114
Recommendation, 115
Summary, ~ 15
REFERENCES
APPENDIXES
A. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS
B. INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE COMMITTEEE
C. DETAILED CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIAL INPUTS
D. DETAILED CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIAL OUTPUTS
E. CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIAL STOCK CHANGES
XVI
PRE PUBLICATION VERSION, SUBJECT TO EDITORIAL CHANGES
93
105
117
127
135
137
141
145
