Household waste in the Netherlands per capita, 1950-2002*

The amount of household waste per capita has increased almost fourfold in the last 50 years. There were also major changes in the composition of household waste.

Amount of household waste per capita

The amount of household waste per capita has increased almost fourfold in the last 50 years. That is an average annual increase of more than 5%.
There was also a major change in the composition of the waste between 1950 and 2002. For example, until the sixties, waste consisted in part of relatively heavy coal ash. The sharp increase in the quantity of light plastics in waste mean that the increase in volume is larger than the increase in weight shown here.

References

• CBS (2003). Statline. Gemeentelijke afvalstoffen; hoeveelheden. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
• SVA (1980). Beperking en hergebruik van afval van partikuliere huishoudingen. Stichting Verwijdering Afvalstoffen, Amersfoort.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

• Guide to societal developments relating to consumers
• Waste generation and processing by target sector in the Netherlands, 1990-2001*
• Waste generated by households in the Netherlands, 1985-2003
• Composition of non-separated household waste in the Netherlands, 1940-2000
• Guide to Environmental theme of Waste management

Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium

• More information about amounts of waste can be found on Statline (Statistics Netherlands)