Encyclopedia of Earth: Materials flow of mercury in the economies of the United States and the world
This article has been reviewed and approved by the following Topic Editor: Cutler J. Cleveland (other articles)
Introduction
Materials flow studies provide insights into the dynamics that affect flow, that quantity of a specific material moving from one medium and (or) location to another, in this case, mercury. These studies permit decision-makers to leverage knowledge of materials flow into more efficient management with respect to social goals. For example, policy might be directed toward minimizing environmental impact by adjusting some aspect of a particular material’s flow. Materials flow studies address the life cycle of materials from extraction, through processing, manufacturing, use, re-use, and disposition. Materials flow studies characterize not only the movement of materials (including losses to the environment), but also the stocks: a stock (inventories or products in use) is where a specified material resides, relatively unaltered, for a period of time.
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