YSTAFDB, a unified database of material stocks and flows for sustainability science

We present the Yale Stocks and Flows Database (YSTAFDB), which comprises most of the material stocks and flows (STAF) data generated at the Center for Industrial Ecology at Yale University since the early 2000s. These data describe material cycles, criticality, and recycling in terms of 62 elements and various engineering materials, e.g., steel, on spatial scales and timeframes ranging from cities to global and the 1800s to ca. 2013. YSTAFDB integrates this diverse collection of STAF data, previously scattered across various non-uniformly formatted electronic files, into a single data structure and file format. Here, we discuss this data structure as well as the usage and formatting of data records in YSTAFDB. YSTAFDB contains 100,000+ data records that are all situated in their systems contexts, with additional metadata included as available. YSTAFDB offers a comprehensive basis upon which STAF data can be accumulated, integrated, and exchanged, and thereby improves their accessibility. Therefore, YSTAFDB facilitates deeper understanding of sustainable materials use and management, which are key goals of contemporary sustainability science

Material system analysis: Characterization of flows, stocks, and performance indicators of manganese, nickel, and natural graphite in the EU, 2012–2016

Raw materials form an industrial base to provide the wide range of products and services demanded by industry and society. In particular, manganese, nickel, and natural graphite are examples of materials having a globally consolidated supply chain with interlinked use in steelmaking and essential role in clean energy systems and e-mobility. A stable material supply chain is hence a priority for import-dependent regions like the EU and builds upon quantitative system understanding. To this aim, the EU Material System Analysis is applied to analyze the anthropogenic cycle of manganese, nickel, and natural graphite from 2012 to 2016. We provide a detailed characterization of their material stocks, flows, and changes in selected performance indicators including end-of-life recycling rate (51% +/- 3%, 49% +/- 8%, and 8% +/- 0% for manganese, nickel, and natural graphite, respectively), self-sufficiency potential (40% +/- 3%, 32% +/- 5%, and 5% +/- 1%), old scrap ratio (31% +/- 0%, 22% +/- 2%, and 90% +/- 1%), recycling input rate (25% +/- 1%, 38% +/- 2%, and 3% +/- 0%), recycling process efficiency rate (84% +/- 2%, 85% +/- 6%, and 48% +/- 3%), and pre-consumer losses rate (83% +/- 3%, 5% +/- 1%, and 24% +/- 2%). The achieved results may inform decision-makers engaged with raw materials recovery and recycling as well as the strategic securement of a reliable material supply to the EU for resilient industrial ecosystems

PET and polyolefin plastics supply chains in Michigan: present and future systems analysis of environmental and socio-economic impacts

Many actions are underway at global, national, and local levels to increase plastics circularity. However, studies evaluating the environmental and socio-economic impacts of such a transition are lacking at regional levels in the United States. In this work, the existing polyethylene terephthalate and polyolefin plastics supply chains in Michigan were compared to a potential future (‘NextCycle’) scenario that looks at increasing Michigan’s overall recycling rate to 45%. Material flow analysis data was combined with environmental and socio-economic metrics to evaluate the sustainability of these supply chains for the modeled scenarios. Overall, the NextCycle scenario for these supply chains achieved a net 14% and 34% savings of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy impacts, when compared with their respective baseline values. Additionally, the NextCycle scenario showed a net gain in employment and wages, however, it showed a net loss of revenue generation outside of Michigan due to the avoided use of virgin resins in Michigan

Differences in Mouse Maternal Care Behavior – Is There a Genetic Impact of the Glucocorticoid Receptor?

Depressive episodes are frequently preceded by stressful life events. Evidence from genetic association studies suggests a role for the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), an essential element in the regulation of stress responses, in the pathophysiology of the disorder. Since the stress response system is affected by pregnancy and postpartum-associated changes, it has also been implicated in the pathophysiology of postpartum depression. Using a 2×2 factorial design, we investigated whether a heterozygous deletion of GR would influence maternal care behavior in C57BL/6 and Balb/c mice, two inbred strains known to display qualitative differences in this behavior. Behavioral observation was carried out between postnatal days 1 and 7, followed by a pup retrieval test on postnatal days 7 or 8. While previously noted inter-strain differences were confirmed for different manifestations of caring behavior, self-maintenance and neglecting behaviors as well as the pup retrieval test, no strain-independent effect of the GR mutation was noted. However, an interaction between GR genotype and licking/grooming behavior was observed: it was down-regulated in heterozygous C57BL/6 mice to the level recorded for Balb/c mice. Home cage observation poses minimal disturbance of the dam and her litter as compared to more invasive assessments of dams' emotional behavior. This might be a reason for the absence of any overall effects of the GR mutation, particularly since GR heterozygous animals display a depressive-like phenotype under stressful conditions only. Still, the subtle effect we observed may point towards a role of GR in postpartum affective disorders

Clinical and virological characteristics of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in a German tertiary care centre during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a prospective observational study

Purpose: Adequate patient allocation is pivotal for optimal resource management in strained healthcare systems, and requires detailed knowledge of clinical and virological disease trajectories. The purpose of this work was to identify risk factors associated with need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), to analyse viral kinetics in patients with and without IMV and to provide a comprehensive description of clinical course. Methods: A cohort of 168 hospitalised adult COVID-19 patients enrolled in a prospective observational study at a large European tertiary care centre was analysed. Results: Forty-four per cent (71/161) of patients required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Shorter duration of symptoms before admission (aOR 1.22 per day less, 95% CI 1.10-1.37, p < 0.01) and history of hypertension (aOR 5.55, 95% CI 2.00-16.82, p < 0.01) were associated with need for IMV. Patients on IMV had higher maximal concentrations, slower decline rates, and longer shedding of SARS-CoV-2 than non-IMV patients (33 days, IQR 26-46.75, vs 18 days, IQR 16-46.75, respectively, p < 0.01). Median duration of hospitalisation was 9 days (IQR 6-15.5) for non-IMV and 49.5 days (IQR 36.8-82.5) for IMV patients. Conclusions: Our results indicate a short duration of symptoms before admission as a risk factor for severe disease that merits further investigation and different viral load kinetics in severely affected patients. Median duration of hospitalisation of IMV patients was longer than described for acute respiratory distress syndrome unrelated to COVID-19

The anthropogenic cycle of zinc : status quo and perspectives

Zinc is a key metal of industrial society that saw an unprecedented growth of its use between 2000 and 2010, largely driven by demand in China. Nonetheless, a contemporary understanding of multi-level stocks and flows of zinc is lacking. This paper presents the cycles of relevant countries, eight world regions, and the globe for 2010, relying on material flow analysis (MFA) for results that have the potential to inform policy makers and future research. We estimate the global zinc end-of-life recycling rate at 33%, which helps achieve a 27% of fabricated zinc coming from secondary sources. Most losses occur in waste management, most of it in the end use sectors construction and transportation. Increasing collection rates in these two sectors should be a priority for closing the zinc cycle. China dominates the global anthropogenic zinc cycle, and relies on primary zinc from Latin America and the Caribbean and Oceania to support its zinc demand. Government and industry in Europe and North America should anticipate shifts in exports of their zinc-containing scrap due to the growing availability of Chinese end-of-life zinc. Further research combining this study with scenario analysis could provide the knowledge base to answer questions related to this issue

The anthropogenic cycle of zinc : status quo and perspectives

Zinc is a key metal of industrial society that saw an unprecedented growth of its use between 2000 and 2010, largely driven by demand in China. Nonetheless, a contemporary understanding of multi-level stocks and flows of zinc is lacking. This paper presents the cycles of relevant countries, eight world regions, and the globe for 2010, relying on material flow analysis (MFA) for results that have the potential to inform policy makers and future research. We estimate the global zinc end-of-life recycling rate at 33%, which helps achieve a 27% of fabricated zinc coming from secondary sources. Most losses occur in waste management, most of it in the end use sectors construction and transportation. Increasing collection rates in these two sectors should be a priority for closing the zinc cycle. China dominates the global anthropogenic zinc cycle, and relies on primary zinc from Latin America and the Caribbean and Oceania to support its zinc demand. Government and industry in Europe and North America should anticipate shifts in exports of their zinc-containing scrap due to the growing availability of Chinese end-of-life zinc. Further research combining this study with scenario analysis could provide the knowledge base to answer questions related to this issue

Measuring the contemporary dissipation rates of metals during use

Dissipative uses of elements have come under increased scrutiny due to eco-toxicological effects of heavy metals in the environment and long-term sustainability of metal supply. Despite that, a comprehensive approach on elemental dissipation has not been proposed yet and very little attention has been paid to the loss of elements by design with any potential of recovery at end-oflife. In this study we categorized the main material streams of elements in use depending on rationales of dissipation and a model has been developed for measuring the contemporary dissipation rates for fifty-five elements. Inherently dissipative uses affect fewer than a dozen of elements (including mercury and arsenic), but the spectrum of elements dissipated increases rapidly if applications from which they are currently unrecoverable are considered. In many cases the dissipation rates are higher than 50%: among others, specialty metals (e.g., thallium, indium, and gallium) and some heavy rare earths are representative of modern technology and their loss gives a measure of how unsustainable is the contemporary use of materials and products. The outcomes provide guidance to industry and academy to identify pathways for reducing material losses and support the research for substitutes and technical developments for increasing elements recovery at end-of-life

Resource Demand Scenarios for the Major Metals

The growth in metal use in the past few decades raises concern that supplies may be insufficient to meet demands in the future. From the perspective of historical and current use data for seven major metals - iron, manganese, aluminum, copper, nickel, zinc, and lead - we have generated several scenarios of potential metal demand from 2010 to 2050 under alternative patterns of global development. We have also compared those demands with various assessments of potential supply to midcentury. Five conclusions emerge: (1) The calculated demand for each of the seven metals doubles or triples relative to 2010 levels by midcentury; (2) The largest demand increases relate to a scenario in which increasingly equitable values and institutions prevail throughout the world; (3) The metal recycling flows in the scenarios meet only a modest fraction of future metals demand for the next few decades; (4) In the case of copper, zinc, and perhaps lead, supply may be unlikely to meet demand by about midcentury under the current use patterns of the respective metals; (5) Increased rates of demand for metals imply substantial new energy provisioning, leading to increases in overall global energy demand of 21-37%. These results imply that extensive technological transformations and governmental initiatives could be needed over the next several decades in order that regional and global development and associated metal demand are not to be constrained by limited metal supply

On the Spatial Dimension of the Circular Economy

The concept of a &#8220;circular economy&#8222;, in which material in society is regarded as &#8220;a transient phase in anthropogenic resource utilization&#8222;, is a growing topic for discussion. The primary motivations for supporting a circular economy include a reduction of environmental impacts and conservation of natural resources. Australia is a vivid example of a country whose large metal extraction capacity is not balanced as it has neither an extensive product manufacturing capability nor a large domestic market. Consequently, Australia must rely on the global resource network to achieve circularity and carbon neutrality. This work illustrates this situation with quantitative material flow cycles for Australian aluminum, nickel, copper, zinc, and stainless steel, and comments on the implications of the results for Australia and for circular economy prospects more generally