The argument of 'dematerialization' is that technological improvements, significantly realized since the 1970s' oil shock, are the main factor that has generated a 'lighter,' 'more efficient,' and 'cleaner' US economy, and that sustainable development is feasible through technology alone. I examined this issue critically by analyzing time trends of resource use, energy use, and waste generation for the US economy. Additionally, I also examined the effects of trade by assessing the trade patterns and the direct foreign investment by US companies. In short, there appears to be little net improvement in efficiencies of resource or energy use or in pollution reduction, that can be explained by technology alone. The environmental improvements appear to be contributed mainly by the movement of pollution costs to foreign countries, rather than from technological contributions.
Sustainable development seems to be harder to achieve than commonly perceived.
An exposure assessment provides a qualitative and quantitative description of sources and pathways by which individuals are exposed to environmental contaminates. Estimation of toxicity risks requires quantitative associations between exposure and contaminate body burden over a lifetime. Often, toxicity risks are evaluated by mathematical models that integrate descriptions of exposure sources, intake, uptake and biokinetics of a given contaminate. For many environmental pollutants, dietary intake is the most significant environmental exposure pathway for humans. Intake of pollutants from consumption of produce and other foods having potentially elevated concentrations are of great importance due to the health effects associated with these toxicants.