In 2025, 23 percent of companies reported using ICT solutions to make material use more sustainable. These companies use software to reduce material waste or for automatic waste sorting. This places the Netherlands fourth within the EU. Additionally, 90 percent of companies ensure responsible disposal of old ICT equipment, placing the Netherlands second in the EU. This is based on the latest figures on ICT use by companies from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and Eurostat.
Companies use ICT solutions (such as 3D printing) to use materials more efficiently, reducing waste. Reducing inventories and automatic waste sorting (to improve recycling) are also examples of sustainable ICT solutions.
In the EU, on average 25 percent of companies use ICT solutions to reduce energy consumption, for example with smart lighting systems or smart thermostats. In the Netherlands, 21 percent of companies do this.
In Malta (29 percent), Lithuania and Belgium (both 26 percent), a higher proportion of companies use ICT technologies for sustainable material use than in the Netherlands. The EU average is 17 percent. Hungary, Austria and Bulgaria have the lowest rates at 8 percent.
Companies in energy, water and waste management use ICT solutions most frequently at 34 percent to make material use more sustainable. Companies in information and communication (29 percent) and trade (27 percent) also use these ICT solutions relatively often. Companies in hospitality apply this least often (14 percent).
Dutch companies in industry use ICT solutions for sustainable material use less often than other EU countries in this sector.
It is mainly large companies (250 or more employees) that use ICT solutions to make material use more sustainable (47 percent). Small companies (10 to 50 employees) do this less often (20 percent).
In 2025, 90 percent of companies reported disposing of unused ICT equipment. This can be done via collection points specifically for electronic waste, such as a municipal recycling center, or by returning it to the supplier for disposal. In 2022, this was 73 percent. The Netherlands ranks second in the EU, just behind Finland (91 percent). On average, 77 percent of companies in the EU dispose of ICT equipment responsibly. Dutch companies in hospitality (92 percent) chose the most responsible disposal methods.
53 percent of companies retained ICT equipment when no longer used, for example as spare parts. In 2022, this was 41 percent. Dutch companies keep old ICT equipment more often than the EU average (49 percent).
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