Hazardous waste in the Netherlands by processing method, 1990-2000
| 1990 | 1995 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | |
| million kg | |||||
| Total1) | 555 | 783 | 1 497 | 1 458 | 1 745 |
| Reuse/recovery | 70 | 159 | 278 | 283 | 339 |
| Physicochemical processing 2) | 120 | 158 | 601 | 532 | 627 |
| Incineration | 202 | 256 | 246 | 290 | 389 |
| Landfill | 163 | 210 | 372 | 353 | 390 |
| Source: VROM, LMA. | RIVM/EDC/Oct02 | ||||
| 1) Excluding contaminated soil and ship-generated waste. Approximately 20% of all hazardous waste has been processed abroad since 1998. 2) Physicochemical processing includes detoxification, neutralisation and dehydration. The aim is to separate hazardous waste into sub-streams which can be recovered or which can be incinerated or dumped with fewer environmental consequences. The residual water is discharged in controlled conditions. | |||||
Developments in the processing of hazardous waste
The quantity of hazardous waste registered has tripled since 1990. Over 30% of this waste is now subject to physicochemical processing. This involves the separation of hazardous waste by means of physical or chemical processes. The sub-streams can, after separation, be reused, incinerated or discharged (separate water stream after treatment). Waste is mostly incinerated in dedicated furnaces, with increasing amounts of hazardous waste being incinerated abroad, for instance in cement kilns. Hazardous waste is sent to landfill on dedicated sites or dedicated parts of those sites.
