From material flow analysis to material flow management Part I: social sciences modeling approaches coupled to MFA

This paper presents social sciences modeling approaches (SSMA) that have been coupled to material flow analyses in order to support management of material flows. The presented literature review revealed that the large share of these approaches stem from economics, as these models have similar data and modeling structure than the material flow models. The discussed modeling approaches support a better system understanding and allow for estimating the potential effects of economic policies on material flows. However, it has been shown that these approaches lack important aspects of human decision-making and, thus, the designed economic measures might not always lead to the expected improvements of the material system.     

物质流管理的时空模型框架及应用研究

从物质流管理(MFM)的内涵出发,建立了物质流管理的时空模型,提出科学技术、经济结构和社会体系是影响物质流管理的关键因素;通过模型阐释了不同时空尺度物质流管理的特征;利用该模型分析了国家、地区、工业园区、企业等不同尺度下所适合应用的物质流管理策略与模式.研究认为,利用市场和行政手段分析、调控物质流时空曲线的环境影响,是物质流管理优化的关键.     

物质流分析视角下北京市物质代谢研究

作为"重大国家战略"的"京津冀一体化"日益引起社会各界的高度重视,推动其进程的加快,首先要解决的就是该区域的资源环境问题,而北京作为该经济圈的核心,其资源环境问题的解决更是起着关键性的作用.在提高城市环境质量、改善人们生存环境方面,北京市仍任重而道远.运用物质流分析方法(EW-MFA)可以深入探讨社会经济发展与资源消耗及环境污染之间的关系,从而为社会经济发展过程中资源环境问题的解决提供科学依据.因此,本文采用欧盟物质流核算框架(EW-MFA)建立了北京市"吞吐"状态的物质代谢模型.结果表明:1992—2014年北京市的物质输入与输出总体呈上升趋势,矿物和化石燃料是北京市物质输入的主要组成部分;受社会经济发展水平的影响,北京市的物质投入强度表现出先上升后下降的趋势;研究期间内物质代谢效率不断提高.针对北京市的资源环境问题,应转变传统发展理念,不能一味地追求物质财富的增加而忽略生态环境的影响,且不断推动技术的革新和产业结构的调整应成为实现社会经济可持续发展的有效路径.     

The importance of raw material equivalents in economy-wide material flow accounting and its policy dimension

This article presents a comparison of indicators based on an economy-wide material flow analysis, namely imports, exports, domestic material consumption, raw material equivalents of imports, raw material equivalents of exports and raw material consumption. These indicators were calculated for the Czech Republic for 1995–2010 using, besides an economy-wide material flow analysis, the hybrid input–output life cycle assessment method, which allows for a calculation of raw material equivalents of imports and exports. The results show that a calculation of indicators, which include raw material equivalents, is useful, as it provides some important information which is not obvious from imports, exports and domestic material consumption indicators. We have proved that the latter group of indicators provide the incorrect information regarding the environmental pressure trend related to material flows, underestimate the overall pressure related to foreign trade and provide incorrect information on the importance of various material categories in particular indicators. Consequently, in the case of the Czech Republic, the implications stemming from these points such as the very high dependency of the Czech production system on metal ores from abroad and a rather unequal distribution of environmental pressures between the Czech Republic and its trading partners have not been more thoroughly addressed by Czech economic, environmental and sustainability policies so far and present unresolved issues which will have to be dealt with in the future.     

Material flow analysis adapted to an industrial area

Material flow analysis (MFA) has become a useful tool for industrial ecology (IE) to analyze the metabolism of social systems, such as countries and regions. This paper proposes to use the indicators derived from MFA, complemented with water and energy indicators, to analyze the efficiency and the materialization ranks of industrial areas. The methodology is applied to a case study of an industrial area located in Catalonia (Spain). Despite the heterogeneity of the area, by using simple data the indicators detect companies with high consumption or inefficiency. These companies have many opportunities to improve on these aspects and the indicators can measure and reflect their evolution. In addition, the results show the importance that some flows such as water inputs (1.5 times higher than material inputs) and indirect flows associated with imports, which often are omitted, can have in some study cases.     

中国乘用车塑料的动态物质流分析

结合行业信息并基于动态物质流模型,本文对1950~2050年间中国乘用车塑料流量与存量进行了历史测算与情景分析.历史测算表明：1950~2018年国内乘用车行业累计消耗了以聚丙烯（PP）、聚氨酯（PU）等为主的塑料3278万t,产生了337万t塑料废弃物;报废汽车拆解后的车用废塑料仅28%得到回收利用.针对未来情况,本文设计了乘用车保有量、单车塑料使用量两大关键因素下的不同情景组合.结果显示车用塑料存量及废塑料产生量将大幅增长,到2050年存量将达到0.7~2.7亿t,废塑料产生量将达到500~1600万t,汽车拆解和塑料再生等相关行业对此应充分关注.到2050年车用废塑料回收率若能提升至80%,将减少376万t/a的车用废塑料填埋或焚烧,显著减少环境风险.     

物质投入产出表在义马市物质流分析中的应用

结合义马市的社会经济系统,构建了基于三维物质投入产出表(PIOT)的物质流核算模型.从不同层次对该市的社会经济系统进行分析.结构分析表明,经济发展严重依赖本地资源,产业链短,经济结构层次较低,行业关联度低.电力行业和煤炭采掘业为控制资源、污染的关键部门.技术水平分析表明,技术水平低、循环利用率相对较低,使得资源投入、污染排放量大.宏观比较分析表明,人均物质流、物质流强度都较高,物质使用效率低下.要提高该市的资源使用效率、降低污染排放,可通过结构调整、提高技术水平及循环利用率等途径实现.     

Material flow accounting in an Irish city-region 1992–2002

This paper aims to measure raw material inputs and waste flows in an Irish city-region in order to analyse (i) whether there was absolute dematerialisation in the particular case study over the period 1992–2002 and (ii) whether material consumption and waste generation were decoupled from economic growth and increases in disposable income over the same period. It was found that the selected material flow indicators showed no evidence of absolute dematerialisation over the given study period, although more recent evidence at the national level suggests that a decline in construction activity and extraction of non-metallic minerals has resulted in an absolute reduction in material consumption and it is likely that this will be mirrored at the system boundary level.It was found that Domestic Material Consumption (DMC) per capita and Direct Material Input (DMI) per capita increased at a faster rate than Domestic Processed Output (DPO) per capita and Direct Material Output (DMO) per capita between 1992 and 2002, which indicates relative decoupling of consumption from waste generation. In addition, it was found that there was relative decoupling of consumption and waste generation from disposable income growth over the study period. Finally, it was found that average DMC and DMI figures for the selected case study were lower than the national averages but broadly similar to results for other city-regions in the European Union (EU). On a methodological note, it was concluded that material flow accounting (MFA) for city-regions in Ireland is constrained due to a lack of disaggregated data for material flows, with the exception of local waste data, and it is recommended that bottom-up analysis should be used to complement disaggregated top-down data.     

A material and energy flow model for co-production of heat and power

Co-production of electricity, district heat and industrial heat/process steam (heat and power, CHP) has been applied to a large, national scale, in only a few countries in the world, Denmark, The Netherlands and Finland. In this production method, the waste energy from electricity production is used in two quality levels. First, industrial process steam requirements can be met with this residual energy. Second, the waste energy is used in local district heating networks for households and other buildings in a city. In this integrated production method, a total fuel efficiency of 85% can be achieved. Through the technique of fluidized bed combustion, modern CHP plants can use coal and oil, and in addition, heterogeneous fuels such as biomass, industrial wastes and recycled fuels from households. In this paper, the CHP method is considered in terms of four categories of material and energy flows. For the purpose of considering the potential environmental gains and the difficulties of this production method when applied to integrated waste management and energy production, the four suggested categories are: matter (biomass) (1), nutrients (2), energy (3) and carbon (4). Corporate environmental management inventory tools, decision-making tools, management, organisational and administrative tools as well as information management tools that could be used in CHP-related material and energy flow management are shortly discussed. It is argued that for CHP energy and environmental management, it can be important to adopt an approach to networks of firms, rather than to an individual firm. The presented material and energy flow model may contribute to assessing, planning and implementing of CHP-based waste management and cleaner energy production.     

中国玻璃物质流分析和未来需求预测研究

使用物质流分析方法和情景分析法探讨了1949~2050年玻璃的物质流动和初级资源可持续性.结果表明,废日用玻璃和废玻璃纤维是资源损失的关键节点;在不同需求增长率下,初级资源需求会在2030~2050年某个时期超过当前资源储量.2045年前,期望将废平板玻璃回收利用率提高到70%、废日用玻璃回收利用率提高到60%,使玻璃硅质资源可以满足低增长需求.为了达到循环目标,政府应持续推进垃圾分类,鼓励企业从设计端延长玻璃产品寿命,提高回收利用技术,建立完善的回收再利用体系.     

物质流分析方法在固体废物管理领域的应用综述

近年来,我国在固体废物管理领域出台了一系列政策措施,如修订《固体废物污染环境防治法》、创建"无废城市"建设试点等。末端治理已不能满足固体废物管理需求,科学、全面和系统地管理固体废物应提上日程。当前我国固体废物管理仍面临一系列难题,如绿色生产和生活方式尚未形成,资源化利用水平不足,固体废物环境风险大等。在此背景下,物质流分析方法可以成为我国提升固体废物管理水平的一个重要抓手。基于欧美国家已有经验,以及国内外学者的广泛实证研究,本文主要以固体废物管理源头减量、资源化利用、环境影响最小化三个方面目标为导向,梳理物质流分析方法应用的具体领域,并对未来物质流分析在固体废物管理领域的应用提出如下展望:基于地区经济、环境实际情况,探索物质流分析与投入产出分析、生命周期评价等方法相结合的混合政策工具;加强对物质流动驱动因素的识别与机理分析;推动中小尺度经济系统固体废物数据收集与应用。     

An investigation of three-dimensional characteristics of flow regimes within the urban canyon

Canyon geometry is an important determinant characteristic airflow regimes observed within urban canyons. Three principal flow regimes are: “skimming” flow, “wake interference” flow and “isolated roughness” flow, following the nomenclature of Oke (1987, Boundary Layer Climates, 2nd edn, Methuen, London). The transition between flows is determined by canyon geometry and can be described in terms of threshold height/width (H/W) ratios for an arbitrary length/height (L/H) ratio.The determination of threshold H/W ratios has previously relied on repeated wind tunnel experiments or repeated runs of a numerical model, with canyon geometry altered until the observed flow regime changes. The present numerical investigation of typical three-dimensional flows within urban canyons identifies the key parameters which mark transition between flow regimes. On this basis it is possible to establish the geometric thresholds between regimes with analysis of a horizontal cross-section of a few simulated flows.     

浙江西苕溪水环境容量模型与参数灵敏度分析

针对浙江西苕溪河月流量丰枯悬殊较大、流速小、存在倒流的特点,建立了零维反复流水环境容量模型.以水功能区为基础划分计算单元,选取频率P=50%、75%、90%和近10年最枯月流量为设计水文条件,分别计算了西苕溪CODCr、氨氮、总氮、总磷的水环境容量值;对模型参数进行了蒙特卡罗模拟分析,95%置信水平下,CODcr环境容量置信区间为[17982 t/a,45489 t/a],氨氮为[493t/a,1624t/a],总氮为[435 t/a,1332t/a],总磷为[20t/a,147t/a];模拟结果给了流量、降解系数不确定条件下水环境容量的所有可能值,为决策者提供了更全面的信息.参数灵敏度分析结果表明,各站流量对各污染物环境容量均最敏感,方差贡献占73.3%~99.1%,而降解系数中除k2对CODCr具有一定影响外,其余影响最小,说明计算水环境容量时,选择合适的设计流量极为重要.     

An assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and material flows caused by the Finnish economy using the ENVIMAT model

An environmentally extended input-output (EE-IO) analysis - environmental impacts of material flows caused by the Finnish economy - was carried out in order to improve data on production and consumption in Finland. The study resulted in the ENVIMAT model, which can be used to analyze the relationship between material flows, environmental impacts and the economy. The model is based on monetary and physical input-output tables and an environmental life-cycle impact assessment. This article summarizes the main methodological aspects and findings regarding the material flows and climate impacts caused by the Finnish economy in 2002 and 2005. The Finnish model has relatively detailed input data with 150 industries and 918 products and the data on imports was assessed according to a mixed approach with the help of life-cycle inventory data. The results of the model showed that the Finnish economy uses imported material resources as much as domestic resources. Life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by imports were equivalent to 70-80% of domestic emissions. The GHG emissions embodied in imports (emissions abroad) and exports (emissions within Finland) were of the same magnitude. The analysis showed that the service sector accounted for 44% of GHG emissions caused by the domestic final use of products. Analysis of the results also showed that the indicator of total material requirement (TMR) should not be used for environmental impact comparisons of products and services. In the future, the aim is to use the ENVIMAT model for assessing temporal changes in the economy; for monitoring sustainable development; for planning climate change mitigation; and for identifying important factors in the economy and assessing their impacts.     

深圳市建筑水泥流量-存量分析及环境影响评估

我国城镇化进程持续深入推进,大规模城市更新建造活动消耗了大量水泥等建筑材料.以深圳市为例,采用自下而上的物质流分析方法估算了自特区建设以来(1979～2018年)城市房屋建筑中的水泥存量和流量,并分析了其产生的综合环境影响(以碳排放当量为度量指标).研究结果表明:1979～2018年间,深圳市建筑水泥历史累积消耗约为8...     

国外物质流分析研究进展

回顾了国外物质流分析研究的起源和发展,并对其主流研究方法作一概述;探讨了物质流分析研究框架及指标体系的发展及应用,对30余个国家的指标体系使用情况做一统计;总结了国外已研究物质流分析的主要国家物质流分析信息的应用情况;指出了国外物质流分析研究的不足之处。     

Linking analyses and environmental Kuznets curves for aggregated material flows in the EU

The relationship between economy and environmental impacts has been an essential topic in the discussion on environmental problems for a long time. From the 1990s, this relationship has gained a position in environmental policy as well. De-coupling the use of natural resources from economic growth has been set as one of the policy goals in the sixth Environmental Action Programme by the European Commission. In the scientific discussion, the concept of environmental Kuznets curve deals closely with the de-coupling or de-linking phenomenon. Aggregated material flows, on the other hand, have often been considered as a macro-level proxy of environmental degradation. Different methods or approaches have been designed for “sustainability” or “carrying capacity” evaluation as well. The objective of this article is (i) to discuss the possibilities and limitations of using environmental and economic indicators in the sustainability analysis at the macro level, (ii) to present a theoretical framework for the linking analysis including a classification of the degrees of de-linking/re-linking environmental impacts from/to economic growth, and (iii) to give an empirical example by using indicators of direct material flows as a proxy of environmental degradation and by applying the framework into the European Union and its 15 member countries. The results show that the trend in the European Union is a weak de-linking of material flows from economic growth during the years 1980–2000. In other words, material intensity of the economy has generally decreased due to increased efficiency, but the absolute amount of material use has increased, although at a lower rate of increase than economic growth. On the other hand, there is a quite large variation between different EU member countries. However, absolute decrease in the use of materials cannot be found as a continuous trend between the years 1980 and 2000 in any of the studied EU member countries.     

Measurement of flow speed in the channels of novel threadlike structures on the surfaces of mammalian organs

There have been several reports on novel threadlike structures (NTSs) on the surfaces of the internal organs of rats and rabbits since their first observation by Bonghan Kim in 1963. To confirm this novel circulatory function, it is necessary to observe the flow of liquid through the NTS as well as the structurally corroborating channels in the NTS. In this article, we report on the measurement of the flow speed of Alcian blue solution in the NTSs on the organ surfaces of rabbits, and we present electron microscopic images depicting the cribrous cross-section with channels. The speed was measured as 0.3 ± 0.1 mm/s, and the flow distance was up to 12 cm. The flow was unidirectional, and the phase contrast microscopic images showed that the NTSs were strongly stained with Alcian blue. The ultrastructure of the NTSs revealed by cryo-scanning electron microscopy and high-voltage electron microscopy showed that (1) there were cell-like bodies and globular clumps of matter inside the sinus of the channel with thin strands of segregated zones which is a microscopic evidence of the liquid flow, (2) the sinuses have wall structures surrounded with extracellular matrices of collagenous fibers, and (3) there exists a cribriform structure of sinuses. To understand the mechanism for the circulation, a quantitative analysis of the flow speed has been undertaken applying a simplified windkessel model. In this analysis, it was shown that the liquid flow through the NTSs could be due to peristaltic motion of the NTS itself. Baeckkyoung Sung and Min Su Kim contributed equally to this work.