Emissions of air polluting substances according to NEC guide-lines

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NEC sectors Emissions to air Emission to air (million kgs)
29-30 Transport equipment Ammonia (NH3) 0.0
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 0.1
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.0
NMVOC 3.7
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.0
Services, water and construction Ammonia (NH3) 0.7
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 2.6
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.1
NMVOC 27.9
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.8
Water collection and processing Ammonia (NH3) 0.0
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 0.2
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.0
NMVOC 0.0
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.0
Transport Ammonia (NH3) 3.8
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 78.1
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.4
NMVOC 24.5
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 2.2
Road transport; total Ammonia (NH3) 3.8
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 52.6
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.2
NMVOC 19.6
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 1.2
Road transport: passenger transport Ammonia (NH3) 2.9
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 18.6
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.1
NMVOC 10.5
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.5
Road transport; motorcycles Ammonia (NH3) 0.0
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 0.7
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.0
NMVOC 3.2
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.0
Road transport; light freight vehicles Ammonia (NH3) 0.2
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 10.3
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.0
NMVOC 1.0
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.2
Road transport; heavy freight vehicles Ammonia (NH3) 0.6
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 22.4
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.0
NMVOC 4.8
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.4
Road transport; buses Ammonia (NH3) 0.0
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 0.7
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.0
NMVOC 0.1
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.0
Rail transport; total Ammonia (NH3) 0.0
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 0.8
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.0
NMVOC 0.1
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.1
Inland shipping: passenger transport Ammonia (NH3) 0.0
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 1.7
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.0
NMVOC 0.2
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.1
Inland shipping: freight transport Ammonia (NH3) 0.0
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 16.1
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.0
NMVOC 2.1
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.5
Air transport Ammonia (NH3) 0.0
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) 3.9
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 0.3
NMVOC 0.5
PM2.5 (Particulate matter) 0.0
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.