<i>Quo vadis</i>MFA? Integrated material flow analysis to support material efficiency

Material efficiency (ME) strategies are pursued by governments and companies to reduce environmental emissions, improve supply chain resilience, enhance cost competitiveness. flow analysis (MFA) methods useful quantify raw material stocks flows assess the potential impacts of ME strategies. Although popularity MFA is increasing, there methodological limitations that hinder its use as a decision support tool for prospective assessments. To overcome some these, increasingly integrated with other from different research fields. This paper categorizes identifying explaining their applications. A semi-structured literature review screened wide range evaluated applications 158 studies. showed can be used to: (1) include economic, social, layers; (2) technical foundation including entropy exergy analyses process engineering methods; (3) economic mechanisms link system system; (4) representation materials in existing models. Our demonstrates should central method planning designing governments. provides an important knowledge base creates discussion point on MFA, where field currently at or indeed it could heading future, is, “Quo Vadis” MFA.