Dutch high-tech circular by 2050? Here's what it will take

The Netherlands aims to be fully circular by 2050. This entails using raw materials and products economically and intelligently. However, it is by no means a foregone conclusion that we will achieve our goal. We still have a lot of work to do to reduce material use in the Netherlands, especially in the high-tech sector. Hans van der Weijde, program council member at Holland High Tech for the Circular Economy innovation domain: “In the metal sector, for example, things are already moving in the right direction. In the high-tech world, there is still much to be gained.”

Our living environment is under pressure. The Earth is warming up, and biodiversity is declining. An important cause: the intensive use of raw materials for products, energy, and food. In short, a circular economy has become a must.

It is therefore high time to prioritize circularity. Yet, from an international perspective, the circular economy in the Netherlands is relatively small: these activities account for only 1% of GDP, while the EU average is around 2.1%. Only in Greece is the share even lower, at 0.5%.

Work to be done

The Netherlands wants to be fully circular by 2050. With the National Circular Economy Program 2023-2030, the Dutch government is drawing up measures for specific product groups, such as furniture, plastic packaging, and textiles. Europe is also setting ambitious goals. With the Critical Raw Materials Act, the European Commission wants to reduce excessive use of raw materials and enforce more recycling. For the Dutch high-tech sector, this means, for example, that we must recover critical materials from e-waste, such as rare metals in chips and batteries, much more efficiently.

Metals are recycled well

Some sectors in the Netherlands are further ahead than others. Metals are already being recycled well, says Van der Weijde, who, in addition to being a program council member at Holland High Tech, is also R&D program director at Tata Steel Netherlands. In 2024, for example, 83% of all metal beverage packaging that came onto the market in the Netherlands was also collected again. Another example: “I recently visited an aluminum scrap company: Myne. They sort aluminum using an AI-controlled high-tech installation, so that materials can eventually be reused. It's fantastic to see.”

A world to be won in the high-tech sector

However, there is still a world to be won in the high-tech world. We need to get to work on all kinds of different fronts, Van der Weijde believes. “When it comes to a circular economy, many people immediately think of recycling,” he says. "But that's actually only a small part of the story. Circular means much more. Before you make something, you have to ask yourself: can this product be made with fewer materials? Can we use biomaterials or recycled materials? Can we make the product more robust so that it lasts longer? Only when something is truly no longer usable does recycling come into the picture."

If we look at the high-tech sector, we see that it is still quite normal to use an iPhone for only three years and then replace it. “Products such as smartphones often only last a few years, even though they contain many valuable materials,” explains Van der Weijde. In the Netherlands, only 14% of old mobile phones are recycled, while an estimated 27 million unused phones are lying around in households. This must and can change.

Dutch policy is still not sufficiently aligned with the ambitions for a circular economy. For example, many materials that are suitable for reuse are still legally classified as waste. Think of construction and demolition waste, recycled plastic, or recovered metals. As a result, strict waste regulations apply, with additional permits, transport restrictions, and administrative burdens. This hinders the use of these valuable secondary raw materials in new production processes and makes circular initiatives unnecessarily complicated and costly, including in the high-tech sector.

Competitive advantage

High-tech companies that invest in circularity now will build a competitive advantage for the coming decades. ASML, for example, focuses on lithography machine modules that last longer and are easier to maintain. 95% of all lithography systems sold in the past 30 years are still in use, partly because systems are repaired, refurbished, and reused. Digitization also plays a key role in the circular transition of the high-tech sector. Philips, for example, is working on digital product passports for medical equipment, which will make it much easier to track and organize the reuse, maintenance, and recycling of devices. Philips has been active in refurbishing medical equipment since 1989.

The role of Holland High Tech

Within Holland High Tech, companies, knowledge institutions, and government agencies work closely together to make production processes more sustainable. According to Van der Weijde, it is crucial that Holland High Tech has incorporated the circular economy as an area of innovation. He has a clear mission within Holland High Tech as a program council member: "actively encouraging other projects and strategic programs to integrate circularity into their work. “

An example of a Holland High Tech program is High Tech Materials. The program covers a wide range of material classes, from ”ordinary" construction materials to new materials for high-tech applications. The circularity of materials is one of the pillars of this program.

Holland High Tech also works closely with the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda Circular Economy (KIA-CE) to stimulate innovation in the circular economy. For example, this year, another subsidy was opened and shared within the Holland High Tech network for the development of circular products, services, and processes in the manufacturing industry, construction & infrastructure, and consumer goods, with a total of €2.5 million available.

The Netherlands' key strength: system integration

In the coming years, it will be important for the Netherlands to focus on what it has always been good at: system integration, according to Van der Weijde. Behind this lies a world of manufacturing industry and a broad knowledge infrastructure. “We already excel in this in the high-tech sector. Take ASML, for example, a world leader that brings together all kinds of components and technologies.” ASML has explicitly identified sustainability and circularity as key priorities, with clear objectives to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions and raw material consumption.

“We can also make a difference in the field of circularity through system integration. The Netherlands has an excellent starting position in this regard,” concludes Van der Weijde.