Publications
On this page you can find all publications of Holland Circular Hotspot and publications of our partners on circular economy in international context.
‘Circular Batteries Charging the Future: Collaborating for a Sustainable and Resilient Value Chain’
This publication explores the current status and future potential for circularity across the battery value chain in the Netherlands and beyond. The goal is to stimulate an international debate on accelerating this much-needed transition together, as regulators, researchers, entrepreneurs, consumers or investors.
Today’s challenges in making batteries more sustainable and circular in the long term are multifaceted and interconnected. That’s why international and multi-stakeholder collaboration is paramount.
Circular agrifood & biomass – Food & materials for a sustainable future
The publication provides insight into several Dutch circular best practices and provides a good look at future entrepreneurial opportunities. It also shows the lessons learned in utilising residue streams from cooperating governments, knowledge institutions and companies active in Dutch agrifood production.
The publication results from a collaborative effort between Netherlands Enterprise Agency taking the lead, Holland Circular Hotspot, Foodvalley NL, Topsector Agri & Food, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
‘Chemical Recycling in circular perspective’
How can we prevent waste, and how can we extract more value out of this inevitable waste?
This brochure provides insights and best practices on chemical recycling, a technology that transforms plastic waste and organic residues into base chemicals and feedstocks. It’s a collaborative effort involving public and private entities. The goal is to promote international cooperation and partnerships among government, knowledge institutions, and businesses to advance chemical recycling and move towards a circular and climate-neutral economy.
This publication is the result of a collaboration between Holland Circular Hotspot, the Network Chemical Recycling of the Circular Biobased Delta, The Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Chemport Europe, Chemelot Circular Hub, ChemistryNL, TNO and Infinity Recycling.
The Circularity Gap Report 2023
The global economy is now only 7.2% circular; and it’s getting worse year on year—driven by rising material extraction and use. The global economy increasingly relies on materials from virgin sources. In the six years of the Circularity Gap Report, the global economy extracted and used more than in the entire 20th century—improving people’s living standards, but at the same time breaking through the safe environmental limits of the planet.
This report will allow you—as a policy maker or a business leader—to embrace systems thinking: rethinking the entire system and understanding that one small change in a single place can impact the whole. We must think along with the planet and draw inspiration from nature to create a more balanced world: reduce, regenerate and redistribute.
The report was developed by Circle Economy together with Deloitte.
Waste Management as a catalyst to a Circular Economy
The world faces unprecedented challenges in waste management. Currently, only 67% of global solid waste is collected, whereas that 33% is openly dumped. From a resource perspective, more than 91% of what we take from the earth is wasted.
This brochure shares best practices and lessons learned from public authorities and institutions active in waste management in the Netherlands that can be applied anywhere in the world. A Circular Economy is not conceivable without a sound waste management system. Waste management is the last step in a circular economy, but at the same time, it is often a precursor to a circular economy in the sense that it is the first point of action driven by acute health, hygiene and city development challenges. A well-implemented waste management system can serve as a catalyst for further circular development.
This publication is the result of a collaboration between Rijkswaterstaat (RWS), The Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Holland Circular Hotspot and Milgro.
Circular Buildings - constructing a sustainable future
Buildings – both residential and non-residential – make up a significant part of the built environment and are the backbone of a healthy economy. But, the construction sector is one of the largest consumers of (heavy) raw materials. Buildings are also responsible for more than 30% of the European carbon footprint and more than 40% of the primary energy consumption in Europe. The publication explores how circular economy concepts can help tackle the building sector’s challenges, supporting the transition towards a more sustainable and futureproof sector. It showcases best practices from the Netherlands, a country with a dense population and very few natural resources. Finally, it proposes an international action agenda to achieve the transition to circular infrastructure on both the EU and international levels.
This publication is the result of a collaboration between the Holland Circular Hotspot, the Transition Team Circular Construction Economy, Arcadis and the Netherlands’ Interior and Kingdom Relations and Infrastructure and Water Management ministries.
Kansenrapport Duurzame & Circulair Bouw in België (Dutch)
To gain insight into the trade opportunities for the Dutch SMEs within the promising sectors of the built-environment in Belgium, The Embassy of The Kingdom of The Netherlands in Belgium and Rebel Group conducted a market study and mapped out potential businesses and opportunities in Belgium.
This report provides an overview of the market opportunities for businesses, as well as collaboration opportunities for companies, knowledge institutions, and industry clusters in the sustainable and circular developments in Belgium. The focus is on the entire chain of residential and non-residential construction: from design to urban mining, from renovation to landscape planning.
Building a Circular Future - Ten Takeaways for Global Changemakers
In her new book, Building A Circular Future, Holland Circular Hotspot Chair, Jacqueline Cramer shows how network governance can also work in countries with cultural contexts that differ from The Netherlands.
Jacqueline Cramer shares her experience in interviewing 20 key transition brokers from 16 countries. She has concluded that the differences in cultural context will not hinder a country to do a circular economy transition. There will be always seedlings for innovation that can be the source for upscaling circular economy. Furthermore, she identifies ten takeaways that can help global changemakers to form coalitions of the willing and find a way in each local context to initiate the circular economy transition.
Circular Building and Infrastructure - Outcome Document ECESP Leadership Group
Buildings and infrastructure play a crucial role in our lives. Despite its unquestionable value-adding characteristics, this sector takes a heavy toll on the environment due to the resources iti consumes, the emissions, and the waste produced.
This brochure highlights the sector’s impact by referencing more than 25 European best practices and innovations that are currently being implemented.
Circular Infrastructure - The road towards a sustainable future
Construction consumes around 60% of the world’s materials and is responsible for around 53% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, a big part of which is attributed to infrastructure. The brochure explores how circular concepts can help tackle the challenges infrastructure faces, supporting the transition towards a more sustainable and futureproof infrastructure sector. It showcases best practices from the Netherlands and proposes an international action agenda to achieve the transition to circular infrastructure on both the EU and international levels.
The publication is the result of a collaboration between Rijkswaterstaat (RWS), Holland Circular Hotspot (HCH), The Transition Team Circular Construction Economy, Rebel Group, and The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO).
A circular economy for plastics: Let's turn challenges into opportunities
Energy efficient bubbles, solar powered interceptors, new business and design models, smart collection solutions, high-tech and fully automated sorting practices and chemical recycling technologies: The Dutch initiatives provides inspiration and innovation insights linked to a circular economy for global application. Only by international collaboration we will achieve sizeable success as the plastics value chain spans the globe.
With this brochure Holland Circular Hotspot and TNO bring their insights to the international level and share best practices with the hope that it will inspire everyone around the world to take action and kickstart circular development.
Manufacturing: the future is circular
Ethical smartphones, multifunctional strollers, remanufactured milking robots and bicycles-as-a-service: The Dutch manufacturing industry offers plenty of inspiring and groundbreaking innovations for a circular economy. International cooperation is nonetheless crucial to realise and accelerate the circular transition as the value chains of the manufacturing industry cover the whole world.
With this publication Holland Circular Hotspot and the Dutch Circular Manufacturing Implementation Program (UPCM) want to bring insights and showcases from the Netherlands to an international level, to inspire everyone around the world to act and kickstart circular development.
Waste management in Latin America
This study identifies the state of the market and regulatory framework in eight countries: Mexico, Panama, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile, and Ecuador, and matches the need in the market for waste management with the unique selling points of Dutch businesses.
It has been executed by Holland Circular Hotspot in close collaboration with leading regional waste management experts who know the LATAM market and Dutch capabilities like no other: Herman Huisman (A4Waste), Bert Keesman (MetaSus), and Linda Breukers (Holland House Waste Window), all in a very constructive dialogue with the Embassies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the region.
How Network Governance Powers the Circular Economy - Ten Guiding Principles for a Circular Economy
In her book, How Network Governance Powers the Circular Economy, Holland Circular Hotspot Chair, Jacqueline Cramer shows how network governance can power the circular economy by strengthening the positive forces in society and giving a voice to every citizen.
Jacqueline Cramer shares her experience in implementing numerous circular initiatives in the Netherlands. As a practitioner and scholar, she has identified ten guiding principles for building circular initiatives, based on network governance. These guidelines can help everyone that wants to start or expedite a circular initiative.
From Linear to Circular in the Textile and Apparel Industries - Let’s make the circular shift together
Less waste, less pollution and a longer life span for our clothing: in a circular economy we can make this happen. The Netherlands’ circular textile market has a lot of potential, and to scale up we must seek international collaboration.
Developed by Holland Circular Hotspot and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, this brochure is dedicated to the opportunities that circular economy can bring to textiles. It includes many circular textile examples from our home base of the Netherlands. We believe that many of these concepts have potential to scale in both developed and developing countries.
This publication was launched on September 28 at 16:00 CET, go to online launch event.
How circular economy practices help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent the blueprint to achieving a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030.
The brochure Circular Economy & SDGs identifies the extent to which circular economy practices are relevant for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Kansendossier waste management Australië (Dutch)
The urgency and renewed policy in the field of waste have created opportunities. The expertise of Dutch companies within this sector can contribute to achieving the set goals. This report examines the opportunities for the Dutch waste processing sector within Australia. A general outline at national level follows first. Subsequently, developments by state and potential (domestic) markets will be examined.
The Circularity Gap Report of The Netherlands
The Circularity Gap Report of The Netherlands is published by Circle Economy.
Conclusion: The Netherlands is working hard on transitioning to a fully circular economy and it shows in the results! We’re very proud with a circularity percentage of 24.5 as the world is circular for only 8.6% and Austria for 9.7%. But there is a long way ahead of us before achieving 100% circularity. Learn which measures in 4 sectors can lead to a circularity of 70% for the Netherlands.
Circular Cities
The brochure Circular Cities shares knowledge and experience of circular solutions from the Netherlands to inform and inspire parties and to stimulate international cooperation. The brochure was developed by Holland Circular Hotspot together with Circle Economy.
Scoping Mission Waste and Circular Economy to Lagos, Nigeria
In 2019 a team of experts from the Netherlands carried out a scoping study on waste management and Circular Economy in the city of Lagos (Nigeria) commissioned by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Dutch ministry oof Foreign Affairs. Findings show urgent need for an overall waste and circular economy system improvement, a challenging environment for business, but also a human side; the resilience, pride and vibrance of the Nigerian people.
Market Survey Waste and Circular Economy in Ghana
The concept of circular economy is new in Ghana but it certainly has potential. For the Netherlands, to (help) establish a sort of circular economy incubator may be a sound investment in the future. At the same time, it is important to support and upgrade the waste management infrastructure and set regulations and enforcement.
This market report on waste management and circular economy in Ghana is the result of a mission of a delegation of four experts from the Netherlands in 2019, financed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and supported by the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Accra.
HCH Circular is Going Global magazine - Amsterdam edition
In this magazine with a foreword by Jeanet van Antwerpen, CEO Schiphol Area Development Company and Amsterdam Airport Area, and an introduction by Freek van Eijk, CEO HCH, we show you the circular frontrunners in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area.
HCH Circular is Going Global magazine - 2nd edition
In June 2018 our second magazine was launched with a foreword by State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven and with more than 40 showcases for the five transition agenda’s Biomass & Food, Plastics, Manufacturing, Construction and Consumer Goods. The magazine was launched during the international Holland Circular Economy Week.
HCH Lo Circular Se Vuelve Global - Spanish edition
The Spanish version of the second HCH magazine was launched in January 2019. It is used by the Dutch embassies in Latin America and Spain in their activities for the promotion of Circular Economy & the Netherlands.
HCH Circular is Going Global magazine - 1st edition
In Januari 2018 this first edition of the Circular is Going Global magazine was published to show the world just a few of the many innovative and inspiring examples of how Holland is contributing to a circular world. The magazine was launched during the first seminar of Holland Circular Hotspot in the Dutch Circular Economy Week 2018.