SDG 12 Responsible consumption and production

SDG 12 concerns reducing waste, food wastage and pollution, and using materials more efficiently. By changing patterns of consumption and production businesses, government and consumers can reduce the pressure they are placing on the environment.

• Opportunities for sustainable production and consumption are stable.
• Despite a downward trend, consumption in the Netherlands still requires a land area of around three times the size of the Netherlands.
• Around 1 in 6 people experience environmental problems.

Dashboard and indicators

Colour codes and notes to the dashboards in the Monitor of Well-being

SDG 12 is about the transition to a circular economy: how can we use resources more efficiently, reuse more materials and reduce waste? Under SDG 12, businesses, government and consumers are encouraged to make conscious choices to ease the burden on the environment and reduce dependence on raw materials. This will limit the negative consequences of our consumption for future generations and increase quality of life here and now.

Resources and opportunities concern the opportunities for sustainable production and consumption. These opportunities are no longer increasing, as may be seen in the environmental sector. Companies in the environmental sector produce goods and services related to environmental protection and the management of natural resources. Their contribution to value added (2.8 percent of GDP in 2024) has remained stable in recent years. The Netherlands occupied a middle position within the EU in 2022 on this indicator. The environmental sector’s contribution to employment is also relatively constant. The sector accounted for 2.3 percent of total employment in 2024.

Of the top 100 companies by turnover, 94 publish sustainability reports. As of the 2024 financial year, large companies are required to report on corporate social responsibility, in accordance with the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. In 2024, the proportion of companies publishing sustainability reports increased by 2 percentage points compared to 2022.

Use refers to the raw materials and other materials used and the waste generated. The volume of materials consumed per capita is falling and is the lowest of all the EU countries. In 2024, it stood at 8 tonnes per inhabitant. The downward trend is linked to more efficient use of raw materials and the growing role of services in the Dutch economy.

In 2024, 512 kilograms of household waste were collected or received at recycling centres for every inhabitant. This quantity is trending downwards, but increased by 1.4 percent in 2024 compared to 2023. The Netherlands produces a lot of hazardous waste compared to other EU countries – 246 kilograms per capita in 2022.

Outcomes refer to the efficiency with which raw materials are used and to waste recycling. In 2023, more than three-quarters of industrial waste in the Netherlands was recycled. The scale of recycling and composting of municipal waste is trending upwards, although the share is lower than for industrial waste. In 2023, 58.4 percent of municipal waste was recycled. The Netherlands collects a high proportion of municipal waste separately, enabling it to recycle a high share of municipal waste compared to other EU countries.

Globally, an average of 28 tonnes of raw materials per capita were extracted to meet the needs of Dutch consumers in 2023 (the raw materials footprint). That was a reduction of 11.7 percent compared to 2022. Compared to other EU countries, the Netherlands had a small materials footprint in 2023. Besides raw materials, land in other countries is also required to meet the Netherlands’ consumption needs. In 2023, this land footprint was approximately three times the land area of the Netherlands (0.6 hectares per capita). The Netherlands’ land use footprint is trending downwards and is low compared to other EU countries.

Subjective assessment describes people’s concerns about pollution, waste, use of raw materials and other aspects of sustainability. In 2025, the proportion of the population aged 16 and over that was negatively affected by waste, pollution or other environmental problems fell to 15.9 percent. This reduction followed a spike in 2024, when the share reached its highest level in the time series. The proportion remains high in 2025. Looking at the time series that began in 2005, it was higher only in 2018 and 2024.