National Statistics Online - Articles - Trends in UK material flows between 1970 and 2003
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Trends in UK material flows between 1970 and 2003
Outline of trends in the total mass of natural resources and products used in the UK economy between 1970 to 2003.
This article outlines trends in the total mass of natural resources and products used in the UK economy between 1970 to 2003. It is based on information published in the Environmental Accounts.
Direct Material Input, Domestic Material Consumption and Total Material Requirement are indicators used to summarise the flow of materials associated with the production and consumption activities of the economy. The article shows why Direct Material Input and Total Material Requirement increased during the period, while at the same time Domestic Material Consumption fell.
The article also explains how the volume of imports rose by 21 per cent over the period to reach a record 238 million tonnes in 2003 and how exports rose almost fourfold, driven by the export of oil from the UK Continental Shelf.