Throughput still grows even as energy and materials efficiency improves.

• The United States recycles about 65 percent of its steel.

• In 2000, European primary aluminum production was 3.80 million tonnes and recycled aluminum production was 2.25 million tonnes.

• Paper recycling into paper and fiber products has risen over the past three decades to about 40 percent of total paper production worldwide.

• In 1999, Brazil recycled 5.8 billion aluminum cans accounting for 73 percent of national can production and supporting a US$55 million industry.

Implications for business

The last decade of growth in many countries has proven that value can rise while material and energy throughput decreases. But while overall industrial efficiency is improving, total materials throughput and waste generation continue to grow.

Efficiency enhances competitiveness and reduces environmental liability. As efficiency is sought by businesses and imposed by regulations on both production and consumption, competitive advantage will accrue to those who serve the market demand for efficient products.

Improving efficiency promises continued returns for industry; the transfer of eco-efficient technologies and practices to growing economies is both a growth market in itself and a means to earn freedom-to-operate in new markets.

Successful companies in this century will focus on production processes and business models that recycle raw materials, process outputs, and finished products through the value chain and the product life cycle.