NMO provides insight in the potential of Dutch waste streams

Published on 28 September 2026

The Netherlands Materials Observatory (NMO) publishes a new seven volume baseline study, which provides a comprehensive mapping of the Netherlands’ secondary resources and their potential. The first three volumes are published today.

This publication arrives as European and Dutch policymakers accelerate efforts to reduce third-country import dependencies. This aligns with the objectives of the European Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). Increased recycling is an important part of these efforts and is of great importance to the Netherlands, as it can make an important contribution to strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy.

Three key dimensions

The study examines the Dutch urban mine through three key dimensions. First, it describes the core features and drivers of the Dutch recycling and waste management system for specific waste streams, including the relevant policies, stakeholder processes, and financial aspects. In addition, it provides an overview of the current understanding of destinations of Dutch critical raw materials (CRMs)-related waste streams, both within the Netherlands and internationally. Particular focus is given to the actual recovery of materials. Finally, it explores the possibilities and opportunities for increasing the recovery of critical raw materials (CRMs) from selected Dutch waste streams.

The publication provides market actors and policymakers with data on processing bottlenecks, material losses, and recovery opportunities across Dutch waste streams.

Seven volumes

The series titled “Dutch Waste Stream Systems and Potential for CRM Recovery: A Comprehensive Evidence-Based Analysis”, includes seven reports (see the list below). The first three volumes are published today.

The remaining four volumes will be published in the coming months.