The indicator quantifies the worldwide demand for material extractions (biomass, metal ores, non-metallic minerals and fossil energy materials/carriers) triggered by consumption and investment by households, governments and businesses in the EU. Raw material consumption indicator (RMC) is a measure of material footprints. It represents the amount of material in terms of Raw materials equivalent (RME) needed (or, the amount of extraction, domestic and abroad, required directly and indirectly) to produce the products consumed in the geoFigureical reference area. It is calculated as Raw material input (RMI) minus exports in RME (calculated at the aggregate product level, by material). The indicator RMC gives insight into the quantity and type of materials required to meet the EU's demand for products.

The indicator is defined as the gross domestic product (GDP) divided by domestic material consumption (DMC).

DMC measures the total amount of materials directly used by an economy. It is defined as the annual quantity of raw materials extracted from the domestic territory of the local economy, plus all physical imports minus all physical exports. It is important to note that the term 'consumption', as used in DMC, denotes apparent consumption and not final consumption. DMC does not include upstream flows related to imports and exports of raw materials and products originating outside of the local economy.

The indicator is defined as total waste generated in a country including major mineral wastes (all NACE activities plus households), divided by the average population of the country.

The indicator is defined as all waste generated in a country (in mass unit), excluding major mineral wastes, per GDP unit (in euro, chain linked volumes (2010)). The ratio is expressed in kg per thousand EUR.

The indicator measures the waste collected by or on behalf of municipal authorities and disposed of through the waste management system. It consists to a large extent of waste generated by households, though similar wastes from sources such as commerce, offices and public institutions may be included.

The indicator is defined as the amount of food waste generated per year divided by the average population of the country.

Food waste is measured as fresh mass all along the food value chain, including production sites, processing and manufacture, retail and distribution, restaurants and food services and households.

'Packaging' in this context means all products made of any materials of any nature to be used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods, from raw materials to processed goods, from the producer to the user or the consumer. 'Non-returnable' items used for the same purposes shall also be considered to constitute packaging. 'Packaging waste' means any packaging or packaging material covered by the definition of waste in the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC, excluding production residues (Art.3(1): ‘waste’ means any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard).

This indicator includes plastic packaging waste. 'Packaging' in this context means all products made of any materials of any nature to be used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods, from raw materials to processed goods, from the producer to the user or the consumer. 'Non-returnable' items used for the same purposes shall also be considered to constitute packaging. 'Packaging waste' means any packaging or packaging material covered by the definition of waste in the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC, excluding production residues (Art.3(1): ‘waste’ means any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard).