Netherlands targets 15% cut in raw materials; Circular economy still a challenge

The Dutch government has set a new goal to reduce raw material use by 15 percent by 2035 compared with 2016 levels, according to the updated National Program for a circular economy, recently released by caretaker State Secretary for the Environment Thierry Aartsen (VVD).

The revised target replaces an earlier aim to halve the use of new “abiotic” materials, such as metals and fossil fuels, by 2030. That goal has been recalculated and expanded to include reused materials and biotic resources, like crops, while excluding fossil fuels. The ultimate objective remains unchanged: a fully circular economy by 2050 with minimal waste.

Aartsen has also outlined new targets for preserving and substituting raw materials. These include recycling 82 percent of waste by 2035 and ensuring 55 percent of used materials consist of sustainable biogenic or recycled resources. “The goals are more concrete, compact, and therefore more realistic,” Aartsen told ANP. He added that the plan now considers economic and geopolitical factors alongside environmental concerns, stating that a circular economy is “an absolute necessity economically and geopolitically.”

However, the update has drawn criticism from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving, or PBL). In a reflection on the program published on October 14, 2025, the PBL said the plans contain “mostly intentions and proposals” without sufficient measures to guarantee results. The agency noted that after 2025, government funding for circular economy initiatives will decline, leaving a “large gap” between ambitions and available resources.

Earlier this year, the PBL had already assessed that the previous 2030 target for halving raw material use was “highly unlikely” to be achieved. The agency recommended stricter measures, including regulations or higher prices for non-circular products.

Aartsen acknowledged that further action is needed and indicated that he will look to Europe for guidance. “It is unwise to set minimum recycled plastic content on a national level. Doing that in the Netherlands alone would only drive companies away,” he said.

The PBL analysis was submitted to members of the Tweede Kamer alongside the official update of the National Program for a Circular Economy.