Work

A global dataset for steel aluminum and cement in-use stocks at 500 m gridded level 2000-2019

Year: 2025

Type: data-paper

Abstract: The anthropogenic material in-use stocks accumulated in products, buildings, and infrastructure are essential for satisfying basic human demands and ensuring well-being. They drive global resource demand and environmental impacts while representing valuable resource reservoirs for potential recycling through urban mining. A high-resolution understanding of global material in-use stocks was achieved by integrating reconciled night-time light imageries with national stock data on primary construction materials, including steel, aluminum, and cement. The integration enabled the estimates of global stocks from 2000 to 2019 at a 500 × 500 m grid resolution. The updated dataset mitigated saturation and blooming effects in prior satellite data compared to previous datasets, offering refined temporal and geographical representations despite some regional variations. The refined results systematically elucidate the spatiotemporal dynamics of material accumulation worldwide, highlighting distribution discrepancies between and within cities. The comprehensive database serves as a helpful resource for supporting waste management, circular economy, spatial planning, urban sustainability, and climate change mitigation efforts across various geographical scales.

Source: Scientific Data

DOI: 10.1038/s41597-025-05618-0