Emissions of air polluting substances according to NEC guide-lines

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NEC sectors Emission to air (million kgs)
Total stationary and mobile sources 13.5
Stationary sources; total 10.2
Energy sector 0.2
06 Extraction of crude petroleum and gas 0.0
192 Manufacture of refined petroleum 0.1
35 Energy supply 0.1
Industry and waste 3.0
10-12 Manufacture of food and beverages 0.3
13-15 Man. of textile-, leatherproducts 0.0
16 Manufacture of wood products 0.1
17 Manufacture of paper 0.1
18 Printing and reproduction 0.0
201 Manufacture of basic chemicals 0.4
Chemical and pharmaceutical products 0.2
23 Manufacture of building materials 1.1
24 Basic metal industry 0.5
25-28 Man metal products, machinery 0.2
29-30 Transport equipment 0.0
Waste collection and processing 0.0
22,31-32 Other industry 0.0
Households in autonomous homes 5.7
A Agriculture, forestry and fishing 0.6
Services, water and construction 0.8
Water collection and processing 0.0
G-U Services 0.4
F Construction 0.4
Mobile sources; total 3.2
Transport 2.2
Road transport; total 1.2
Road transport: passenger transport 0.5
Road transport; motorcycles 0.0
Road transport; light freight vehicles 0.2
Road transport; heavy freight vehicles 0.4
Road transport; buses 0.0
Rail transport; total 0.1
Inland shipping 0.9
Inland shipping: passenger transport 0.1
Inland shipping: freight transport 0.5
Inland shipping: recreation 0.2
Air transport 0.0
Other mobile sources; total 1.0
Non-road mobile machinery 0.9
Agriculture (mobile sources) 0.3
Non-road mobile machinery const industry 0.4
Non-road mobile machinery; industry 0.1
Non-road mobile machinery; services 0.1
Other sectors (mobile sources) 0.0
Fishing 0.2
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


The table contains annual figures on the emissions of a number of air pollutants in the Netherlands as calculated according to the European NEC guidelines.
In 2001, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe drew up a directive on national emission ceilings for cross-border air pollution. The directive is simply called the NEC directive. NEC stands for 'National Emission Ceilings'. Until 2020, the directive determined for each Member State the maximum amount of a number of air pollutants that could be emitted annually. As of 2020, the system of national emission ceilings has been replaced by one of national emission reduction obligations.
The guidelines relate to sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3), volatile organic compounds excluding methane (NMVOC) and particulate matter PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres).
The emissions, expressed in kilograms, are broken down by NEC sectors: Energy, Transport, Industry, Agriculture, Waste and Other stationary and mobile sources.

Data available from: 1990.
Due to insufficient data quality, the years 1991 to 1994 and 1996 to 1999 are not shown.

Status of the figures:
The figures from 1990 to 2023 are final. The 2024 figures have a provisional status. In order to obtain a consistent time series the complete data set is (re)calculated when necessary, so as to be able to include the latest insights in the survey, especially in the case of emission factors.

Changes as of 18 September 2025:
The underlying coding of classifications (NEC sectors) used in this table has been adjusted.
It is now in line with the standard encoding defined by CBS.
The structure and data of the table have not been adjusted.

Changes as of 2 September 2025:
Addition of provisional figures 2024. No new figures are available for road traffic and non-road mobile machinery. The provisional figures for 2024 remain the same as those for 2023 for these activities.

When will new figures be available?
Final figures for 1990 to 2024 will be published in February 2026.

Description topics

Emission to air
The emissions of air pollutants in the Netherlands; expressed in kilograms and broken down by NEC sectors.