Collection of separated household waste in the Netherlands, 1985-2003
Until the latter half of the 1990s, there was a sharp rise in the amount of separated household waste that was collected. In subsequent years, the increase slowed drastically. In 2003, there was even a slight fall.
| Total | among which | ||||||||
| Organic | Glass | Paper, | Textiles | Building and | Bulky | Metals | Minor | ||
| waste | cardboard | demolition | garden waste, | chemical waste | |||||
| waste | incl. | ||||||||
| garden prunings | |||||||||
| millions of kg | |||||||||
| 1985 | 715 | 5 | 177 | 507 | . | 9 | . | 8 | 2 |
| 1987 | 785 | 5 | 182 | 564 | . | 2 | . | 16 | 5 |
| 1989 | 950 | 33 | 215 | 648 | . | 4 | . | 22 | 15 |
| 1991 | 1 540 | 234 | 258 | 738 | . | 69 | . | 25 | 20 |
| 1993 | 2 310 | 874 | 287 | 724 | 24 | 94 | 124 | 26 | 21 |
| 1994 | 2 725 | 1 231 | 298 | 716 | 29 | 115 | 153 | 32 | 21 |
| 1995 | 3 075 | 1 427 | 302 | 727 | 35 | 153 | 244 | 37 | 22 |
| 1996 | 3 355 | 1 459 | 306 | 840 | 41 | 200 | 288 | 42 | 21 |
| 1997 | 3 615 | 1 531 | 316 | 922 | 41 | 253 | 304 | 45 | 22 |
| 1998 | 3 645 | 1 488 | 317 | 1 012 | 43 | 292 | 292 | 56 | 21 |
| 1999 | 3 715 | 1 444 | 321 | 1 038 | 48 | 335 | 332 | 54 | 22 |
| 2000 | 3 795 | 1 457 | 326 | 1 022 | 50 | 362 | 359 | 55 | 21 |
| 2001 | 3 855 | 1 405 | 335 | 1 015 | 50 | 356 | 355 | 59 | 20 |
| 2002 | 3 980 | 1 406 | 343 | 1 006 | 49 | 377 | 401 | 68 | 21 |
| 2003* | 3 930 | 1 371 | 343 | 982 | 52 | 381 | 390 | 68 | 21 |
| Source: CBS. | CBS/EDC/July04/0143 | ||||||||
Almost 45% of waste collected separately
The amount of household waste (non-separated and separated) increased on average between 1995 and 2000 by 250 ktons per year. After 2000, this rate of growth slowed down. In 2003, the total amount of household waste fell slightly compared to the previous year.
The amount of household waste collected separately increased sharply between 1990 and 1997 (this includes both waste that was picked up from households and waste taken to collection locations). One of the reasons for this is that, in the early 1990s, many municipal authorities introduced the separate collection of organic household waste. From 1998 onwards, there was a fall-off in the annual increase. In 2003, there was even a slight fall in the amount of household waste collected separately. The main reason for this is the separate collection of organic household waste. Almost 45% of household waste was collected separately that year.
The trend described above can also be seen in the development of environmentally aware behaviour among consumers.
- See also: Environmentally aware behaviour in the Netherlands, 1994-2002
- See also: Waste generated by households in the Netherlands, 1985-2003
Policy
A range of initiatives have been deployed to encourage the separation of waste by households. One example is the Stimuleringsprogramma Afvalscheiding en afvalpreventie (Waste segregation and waste prevention Incentive Programme - STAP) (AOO, 2001).
Provincial authorities also stimulate an increase in the proportion of separated components in household waste. Municipalities are responsible for the implementation of this policy.
