249
based policies and concepts for sustainable resource and waste management. The
chapter goes on to discuss the outlook for possible integration of methodologies and
future developments in MFA.
2 Review of Empirical Studies from the Viewpoint of Target
Wastes and Systems
2.1 Waste in General
In many developed countries, waste statistics are available (e.g. OECD 2005 ) as a
basis for framing waste management and recycling policy (see Chap. 14 ).
Institutionalization of the compilation of waste statistics is essential for appropriate
waste management in developing countries (see Chap. 11 ). However, one of the
issues in waste statistics is that defi nition and coverage of waste streams (e.g.
municipal/industrial, hazardous/non-hazardous) vary considerably across countries.
Therefore, comparison of waste indicators needs careful interpretation. The same
applies to indicators such as recycling rate.
It is interesting and useful to capture recycling fl ows as parts of more comprehensive picture of material fl ows: such fl ows are accounted for in some national
MFAs. However, defi ning recycling fl ows is not easy. The fi rst version of the methodological guide for economy-wide MFA (Eurostat 2001 ) says “Recycling fl ows
are not part of the material balance,” because “First, data on materials recycled
within statistical units are not normally available. Second, the defi nition and measurement of recycling fl ows is diffi cult.” In this regard, Hashimoto and Moriguchi
( 2004 ) categorized the forms of recycling and proposed alternative indicators that
can avoid double-counting and/or infl ated recycling fl ows or rates. Concerning
recycling ratio, Graedel et al. ( 2011 ) gave defi nitions of various metrics related to
end-of-life recycling. Further, Bailey et al. ( 2008 ) proposed input–output cycling
metrics that can measure cycling of both direct and indirect fl ows in a complex
system while traditional metrics only account for direct fl ows. Further discussion
and development are needed on the issue of defi ning and measuring recycle fl ows.
2.2 Construction and Demolition Waste
A number of MFA studies are available related to construction and demolition waste
for countries and regions such as China (Shi et al. 2012 ; Huang et al. 2013 ), Japan
(Hashimoto et al. 2007 , 2009 ), The Netherlands (Müller 2006 ), Norway (Bergsdal
et al. 2007 ), and Taiwan (Hsiao et al. 2002 ); for cities such as Beijing (Hu, D. et al.
2010 ; Hu, M. et al. 2010 ); and for specifi c infrastructures such as highway traffi c
system (Wen and Li 2010 ).
12 Material Flow Analysis and Waste Management
based policies and concepts for sustainable resource and waste management. The
chapter goes on to discuss the outlook for possible integration of methodologies and
future developments in MFA.
2 Review of Empirical Studies from the Viewpoint of Target
Wastes and Systems
2.1 Waste in General
In many developed countries, waste statistics are available (e.g. OECD 2005 ) as a
basis for framing waste management and recycling policy (see Chap. 14 ).
Institutionalization of the compilation of waste statistics is essential for appropriate
waste management in developing countries (see Chap. 11 ). However, one of the
issues in waste statistics is that defi nition and coverage of waste streams (e.g.
municipal/industrial, hazardous/non-hazardous) vary considerably across countries.
Therefore, comparison of waste indicators needs careful interpretation. The same
applies to indicators such as recycling rate.
It is interesting and useful to capture recycling fl ows as parts of more comprehensive picture of material fl ows: such fl ows are accounted for in some national
MFAs. However, defi ning recycling fl ows is not easy. The fi rst version of the methodological guide for economy-wide MFA (Eurostat 2001 ) says “Recycling fl ows
are not part of the material balance,” because “First, data on materials recycled
within statistical units are not normally available. Second, the defi nition and measurement of recycling fl ows is diffi cult.” In this regard, Hashimoto and Moriguchi
( 2004 ) categorized the forms of recycling and proposed alternative indicators that
can avoid double-counting and/or infl ated recycling fl ows or rates. Concerning
recycling ratio, Graedel et al. ( 2011 ) gave defi nitions of various metrics related to
end-of-life recycling. Further, Bailey et al. ( 2008 ) proposed input–output cycling
metrics that can measure cycling of both direct and indirect fl ows in a complex
system while traditional metrics only account for direct fl ows. Further discussion
and development are needed on the issue of defi ning and measuring recycle fl ows.
2.2 Construction and Demolition Waste
A number of MFA studies are available related to construction and demolition waste
for countries and regions such as China (Shi et al. 2012 ; Huang et al. 2013 ), Japan
(Hashimoto et al. 2007 , 2009 ), The Netherlands (Müller 2006 ), Norway (Bergsdal
et al. 2007 ), and Taiwan (Hsiao et al. 2002 ); for cities such as Beijing (Hu, D. et al.
2010 ; Hu, M. et al. 2010 ); and for specifi c infrastructures such as highway traffi c
system (Wen and Li 2010 ).
12 Material Flow Analysis and Waste Management