Indicators of Sustainable Development |
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The amount of natural resources and products consumed by the UK economy has decreased by 10 per cent since 1970.
Between 1990 and 2002 the output of the economy increased by 31 per cent whilst energy consumption only increased by about 6 per cent. Household energy use has broadly in line with household growth.
Over the last few years, household waste has grown by 2 to 3 per cent per year. In 2001-2, over half a tonne was generated per person. The proportion recycled has risen from 9 per cent in 1998-9 to 12 per cent in 2001-2 . A total of 75 million tonnes of waste was generated by industry and commerce in England and Wales in1998-9. Industry recycled 45 per cent of its waste and commerce recycled around a quarter.
Between 1990 and 2001, aluminium can recycling increased from 5 per cent to over 40 per cent of cans consumed. The rate of paper recycling increased more slowly over this period, increasing by 14 per cent to 37 per cent of consumed material.
| Ref No | Indicator | QOLC 1999 | QOLC Updated Assessment | ||||
| †New since QoLC (1999) | Change since | Change since | |||||
| 1970 | 1990 | 1970 | 1990 | Strategy | |||
| A1 | UK resource use † | |
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| A2 | Energy efficiency of economy | |
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| A3 | Energy use per household | |
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| H15 | Waste (headline) | Waste arisings & management | |
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| A4 | Waste by sector † | |
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| A5 | Household waste and recycling | Waste arisings | |
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| Recycling | |
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| A6 | Materials recycling | Scrap metal | |
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| Paper & board | |
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| Glass | |
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| A7 | Hazardous waste | |
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