Home > Statistics > Economy-wide material flow accounts > 2019 > Domestic material consumption fell by three per cent from the previous year

Published: 3 December 2020

Domestic material consumption fell by three per cent from the previous year

Altogether 178 million tonnes of natural resources were taken into use in Finland in 2019. The figure was the lowest in the 2010s, over a sixth lower than in 2013 when the figure was at its highest. Compared to the level of 2017 to 2018, the fall was considerably smaller, good one per cent.

Domestic material consumption 2007 to 2019

Million tonnes	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Domestic direct inputs	195	196	169	187	186	185	215	170	167	172	180	180	178
Foreign direct inputs	64	69	53	60	62	56	59	58	54	57	57	60	57
Exports	44	42	35	43	45	44	45	45	42	44	45	49	51
Domestic material consumption	215	223	187	204	203	197	229	183	179	186	191	191	185

Domestic material consumption, one indicator of sustainable development, was three per cent lower in 2019 than in 2017 to 2018. The fall was mainly due to decreased direct domestic inputs and imports, as well as a slight growth in exports. The fall was mostly due to a decrease of good five per cent in soil extraction. Indicators for sustainable development .

Use of direct inputs by material group 2007 to 2019, million tonnes

Domestic material consumption is calculated by adding imports to domestic direct inputs (introduced natural resources) and by subtracting exports. Of the natural resources introduced in 2019, altogether 28 per cent were wood and other plants, 28 per cent mineral ores and 42 per cent soil materials. In imports most weight was laid on crude oil, 30 per cent and timber, 17 per cent of the total weight of imports. Of the weight of exports, oil refined products and forest industry products had the biggest shares.

Total material requirement amounted to good 600 million tonnes in 2019, which is also over five per cent lower than in the year before. In addition to domestic direct inputs and imports, total material requirement includes unused extraction related to forestry and the extractive industry, as well as hidden flows from imports. The decrease in total material requirement was particularly caused by the decrease in ore and soil extraction, the related unused extraction, and the imports of metals and metal products and their hidden flows.

Source: Economy-wide material flow accounts 2019, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Niina Lesonen 029 551 3406, environmental.accounts@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Total material requirement by material groups 2007 - 2019 (3.12.2020)
• Appendix table 2. Direct input requirement by material groups 2007 - 2019 (3.12.2020)
• Appendix table 3. Hidden flow requirement by material groups 2007 - 2019 (3.12.2020)

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Updated 3.12.2020