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As a starting point for this work, a first OECD workshop on SMM was held in November 2005 in Seoul, Korea, to take stock of existing understandings on and approaches towards SMM, explore the potential elements of SMM and provide guidance for OECD's future work in this area. The workshop outcome provided, among others, the following working definition for SMM:

“Sustainable Materials Management is an approach to promote sustainable materials use, integrating actions targeted at reducing negative environmental impacts and preserving natural capital throughout the life-cycle of materials, taking into account economic efficiency and social equity.”

A second workshop was held in April 2008, Tel-Aviv, Israel, focusing on the contributions by the private sector to SMM, but also by NGOs and international organisations. The workshop report  provides a summary of discussions. More specifically, the workshop:

• took stock of major existing initiatives related to SMM within
  i) the public sector, through a survey;
  ii) the private sector, through representative case studies; and
  iii) international organisations, through an inventory;
• identified and analysed methodologies to assess environmental impacts of materials use; and
• discussed the potential contribution of the OECD to the future development of SMM activities within the member countries and beyond.

Related Documents

Sustainable Materials Management (SMM)

OECD Council Recommendation on Resource Productivity [C(2008)40]