Nearly 13 tonnes of water and 18 square meters of land are required to produce just one smartphone according to a new report that aims to help businesses calculate their demand for natural resources.

 

The report, compiled by consultancy Trucost and Friends of the Earth, also shows that 25 tonnes of water are required to make a pair of leather boots in the Hazaribargh region of Dhaka, Bangladesh, where companies are allowed to dump untreated chemicals into the environment.

 

Entitled Mind Your Step, the study examines the water "footprints" of a range of products, including coffee, ready meals, t-shirts and chocolate. It also shows how water use can decline or fall depending on how much environmental regulation countries have and enforce.

 

Former European Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik said being able to measure resource use was crucial for governments and businesses trying to make the shift to a more circular economy.