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Waste generation and method of processing, 1985-2001

Developments in amount of waste generated


The total amount of waste generated in 2001 was 57.9 billion kg. From 1998 onwards, the increase in the total amount of waste was small, averaging 0.5% annually. There was even a virtual stabilisation in 2001 compared to 2000.
An important reason is that discharges of phosphogypsum were reduced to zero between 1998 and 2000. In 1998, almost 1.5 billion kg was discharged. Phosphogypsum is a waste generated during the production of chemical fertilisers. The amount of waste from industry is now less than in the mid-nineties. In 2001, for the first time in years, there was no increase in the amount of waste from consumers.

Objectives for landfill and reuse almost achieved


The objectives for 2000 have almost been achieved. In 2000, approximately 5 billion kg waste was sent to landfill. This was more than 8% of the total supply. The percentage of reuse was 78.5%. In the third National Environmental Policy Plan (Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, 1997), the government stated the following objectives for 2000:
  • a maximum of 4 billion kg waste for landfill;
  • reuse of 80% of waste.
The sharp reduction in the amount of waste sent to landfill - still 14 billion kg in 1990 - was achieved through separate waste collection and the reuse of waste, the expansion of incineration capacity, the introduction of landfill bans and landfill taxes.

Developments in incinerated waste


Since the early 1990s, the amount of waste incinerated has almost doubled, reaching a total of over 13% in 2001. The incineration figures relate to waste incinerators, installations for incinerating sludge and hazardous waste, and incineration by industrial concerns in their own facilities.

Policy objectives 2012


The National Waste Management Plan (VROM, 2002) states, as the objectives for 2012:
  • increasing the relative unlinking that has already been achieved of the gross domestic product and the total waste supply by continuing and intensifying the prevention policy;
  • increasing the level of waste recovery to 83% in 2012;
  • limiting the amount of waste for disposal to 9.5 billion kg, of which 2 billion kg will be waste destined for landfill.

Technical note


The graph above, the waste management policy indicator, includes more information about the total amount of waste sent to landfill. The figures exclude contaminated soil and dredging sludge. The amount of waste sent to landfill in the graph differs from the amount stated in the landfills indicator. This includes the polluted soil and dredging sludge sent to landfill.

References


  • CBS (2002a). Statline. Gemeentelijke afvalstoffen; hoeveelheden. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
  • CBS (2002b). Statline. Bedrijfsafvalstoffen. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
  • CBS (2002c). Statline. Zuivering van afvalwater. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
  • RIVM (2002). Environmental balance 2002. Kluwer, Alphen aan den Rijn.
  • VROM (1997). National Environmental Policy Plan 3. Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, The Hague.
  • VROM (2002). National Waste Management Plan. Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, The Hague.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium
This page was last changed on November 18, 2005  (version 01).