The Utrecht Raw Materials Monitor is a fact: an online dashboard with figures about the use of raw materials in the province of Utrecht. It shows which materials are used and discarded, the consequences for climate and environment, and how dependent the Utrecht society is on raw materials from other countries. In this way, the province smartly aims for a society that is 50 percent circular by 2030 and sets course towards a fully circular society by 2050.

Everyone in Utrecht uses raw materials and produces waste. With this raw materials monitor, governments, institutions, and companies in Utrecht can discover opportunities to reduce the waste mountain. Deputy for Circular Society Has Bakker: “By monitoring circularity, we can really steer towards results. We make visible what is present in the province of Utrecht, where raw materials still have value and where they are unnecessarily lost. We want to preserve the value. This monitor provides direction in that.”

These figures show the main points

Measuring circularity is not easy due to the amount of different raw materials and waste streams. The Utrecht Raw Materials Monitor provides information about:

  • The use of materials and raw materials.
  • The consequences for environment and climate.
  • Rare raw materials important for our economy and supply security.
  • Biobased (biological) raw materials.
  • Waste in the province.

The figures on which the monitor is based date from 2023, so the monitor does not yet show effects of new regulations and policies, but data is used that provides a complete picture. Much can already be discovered at a glance.

Companies have the largest share in the use of raw materials with 73 percent, households account for 25 percent of the total. The monitor also shows that more is needed than recycling. Even if we were to reuse all waste in Utrecht, that is only a quarter of the materials we use. That is not enough to meet current demand. Repair, consuming less, and extending lifespan are needed to reduce waste.

More insights from the monitor

The monitor shows that 27 percent of waste in Utrecht can be better or differently processed than is currently done. Some raw materials, such as lithium and cobalt, are scarce and mined in only a few places worldwide. This puts supply of such raw materials under pressure due to political tensions or conflicts. The monitor shows, for example, that there are opportunities for car companies to give rare materials a new destination. Has Bakker: “There are geopolitical tensions and scarcity of critical raw materials that will only increase. More circularity is therefore no longer idealism, but a necessity. By reusing materials and strengthening chains, we work on our economic resilience and independence.”

Also in construction, a more sustainable world can be achieved. All construction waste in Utrecht together weighs 2380 kilotons per year. This equals 1.9 million construction containers. Construction is a major challenge within our province, requiring us to think differently to reduce this waste mountain. Biobased building offers opportunities for less construction waste and contributes to better reuse of building materials.

Monitoring 2.0

The province works with a flexible monitoring plan aligned with national and European agreements. Good measurement and monitoring enable analysis of the circular transition and define whether we are on track and how the province of Utrecht can best realize ambitions.

There is much more to measure and monitor about circularity. For example, how jobs and companies work circularly, how much biobased construction we have in the province, or what we achieve as a province with subsidies and circular procurement. For this, the broad Circular Economy Monitor will be launched at the end of this year.

Focus on circularity

Next week is the Week of the Circular Economy. This week emphasizes the importance of a society that handles raw materials carefully and responsibly. During this week, proven circular initiatives are made visible and residents and organizations are encouraged to take steps towards a more sustainable and circular system. This way, we contribute to a circular society in 2050.

For press information:
jiri.glaap@provincie-utrecht.nl
06 39 63 21 97