Material Flows Mobilized by Motor Vehicles and Transport Equipment Manufacturing and Use in the Czech Republic: an Application of Economy-Wide Material System Analysis

Abstract

Manufacturing of motor vehicles and transport equipment is a key industry in the Czech Republic - it contributes to the national GDP by about 4.6%. The article applies economy-wide material system analysis (EW-MSA) in order to quantify physical material flows mobilized by manufacturing and use of motor vehicles and transport equipment in the Czech Republic. The results show that the Czech Republic is not endowed with the resources needed for the manufacture of motor vehicles such as metals or crude oil for manufacturing of plastics and thus these resources have to be imported. The physical stock of motor vehicles is growing in the Czech Republic, which poses a need for expansion of transport infrastructures. Moreover, almost 70% of waste from motor vehicles manufacturing and use is exported or landfilled, which represent a loss of resources that could be recycled domestically and sent back to manufacturing.