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The volume of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) that has been properly collected and treated in the Netherlands has more than doubled between 2010 and 2024. This is one of the key findings of The Dutch WEEE Flows 2024, a comprehensive study mapping long-term trends in electrical and electronic waste.
In 2010, the Netherlands generated 309 million kilograms of e-waste, of which 39% (more than 120 million kilograms) was properly collected and treated. By 2018, the volume had increased to 334 million kilograms, with approximately 50% being collected through the proper channels. In 2024, the total volume reached 373 million kilograms, of which 68.5% (more than 255 million kilograms) was collected and treated through the formal collection system. When exports for reuse are also taken into account, the effective collection rate rises to 71.2%.
Contributing to Raw Material Security
The total amount of electrical and electronic equipment in use in the Netherlands reached a record 6.8 billion kilograms in 2024, equivalent to an average of 377 kilograms per inhabitant. This growth is largely driven by the increasing adoption of solar panels, heat pumps, air conditioners and electric bicycles. Over time, this will inevitably result in larger volumes of e-waste entering the waste stream. Thanks to its unique network of sorting facilities and high-quality recycling partners, Stichting OPEN is able to recover at least 80 kilograms of secondary raw materials from every 100 kilograms of e-waste collected. This makes a significant contribution to securing the supply of critical raw materials in both the Netherlands and Europe.
The study also provides detailed insight into waste streams that are not yet being properly collected, highlighting where further improvements can be made. Approximately 645 million kilograms of electrical appliances are currently being stored unused in cupboards, attics and other locations in Dutch households. In addition, substantial volumes of equipment still end up in residual household waste or outside the certified recycling chain. In total, these so-called “leakage streams” amounted to approximately 117 million kilograms in 2024. Stichting OPEN is addressing these leakage streams through a range of measures based on the report’s findings. These include improving the registration of exports and introducing incentive schemes to make illegal treatment less attractive. Under the Wecycle banner, year-round public awareness campaigns encourage consumers to return discarded electrical appliances, lamps and batteries for proper recycling instead of disposing of them in residual waste. Recent research commissioned by Stichting OPEN into residual household waste confirms that considerable improvements can still be achieved in this area.
Jan Vlak: ‘Need for mandatory handover remains essential’
Jan Vlak, Managing Director of Stichting OPEN: “This study confirms the trend that was already highlighted in our recently published 2025 Annual Report: year after year we are achieving higher collection rates, demonstrating that we are on the right track. We are also on schedule to meet the targets agreed with the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) and the associated growth pathway. However, our work is not finished. To achieve our collection target, we still need to collect an additional 60 million kilograms of e-waste over the next two years. This study helps us identify targeted actions that will contribute to achieving that goal. But we cannot do it alone. Alongside our own efforts, the introduction of a mandatory handover obligation for businesses remains as essential as ever.”
About the Study
The Dutch WEEE Flows 2024 was prepared by UNITAR and Stichting OPEN and provides a comprehensive overview of the flows of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the Netherlands. The report is published periodically, approximately every six to eight years. The study combines data from a wide range of information sources to provide a comprehensive long-term overview of the Dutch WEEE system. It examines, among other things, the volumes of electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market, the generation of e-waste, collection, recycling and leakage streams. In addition, Stichting OPEN commissioned three studies in 2025 on electrical appliances, batteries and lamps found in residual household waste. All reports are publicly available and can be downloaded below.
Reports
The Dutch WEEE Flows 2024 (English)
Electrical Appliances in Residual Household Waste (Dutch)
Batteries in Residual Household Waste (Dutch)
Lamps in Residual Household Waste (Dutch)