Our society, its production and consumption systems, is based on the use of raw materials such as biomass, fossil fuels and minerals. By increasing the extraction of raw materials, the associated environmental and social impacts are approaching or already exceeding natural limits.

According to available UN data for the period 1990 to 2015, Slovenia achieved no decoupling of economic development from raw material consumption.

In 2015, only five EU countries: Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Belgium and the Netherlands, recycled at least half of their municipal waste.

In Finland, based on years of research, they have proposed a sustainable annual target of eight tonnes per person as an acceptable material household footprint.