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Australia's circular economy metrics and indicators

A. Miatto,N. Emami,Kylie Goodwin,James West,M. Taskhiri,T. Wiedmann,H. Schandl

Published 2024 in Journal of Industrial Ecology

ABSTRACT

This article presents a comprehensive economy‐wide material flow analysis of the Australian economy in 2019, examining the domestic extraction, trade, end‐of‐life flows, and recycling for all materials. The results highlight Australia's role as a natural resource supplier, with metals and fossil fuels being primary contributors. Through material flow analysis, we found that in 2019 Australia extracted 2587 Mt of natural resources, exported a substantial fraction (1459 Mt), and used 917 Mt to fulfill domestic needs. The recycling flows and circularity metrics are also explored, with an end‐of‐life recycling rate of 51.1% and an overall circularity rate of 5.1%. An additional assessment of Australia's consumption‐based material footprint highlights mobility and housing as the dominant material‐using sectors. These results contribute to understanding Australia's material consumption patterns, indicating significant reliance on foreign semifinished and finished products, and provide insights into the potential for enhancing economic circularity.

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