In 2008, the UNEP has established the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, in short Resource Panel. This Panel consists of renowned scientists from all over the world and has to generate and establish a body of knowledge with regard to the scientific support of policies on sustainable resource use. The Panel occasionally invites experts from the outside to contribute to their reporting. CML (Ester van der Voet) was invited to contribute to the reports of the Working Group on Environmental Impacts of Products and Materials. This contribution is sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment