Environmental goods and services sector; activities, 1995 - 2011

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Environmental activities Periods Labour input of employed persons (1 000 years of employment) Output at basic prices (mln euros) Gross value added at basic prices (mln euros)
Total environmental sector 2010* 112.3 31,916 13,876
2011* 112.7 34,036 14,328
Organic agriculture 2010* 3.1 1,273 472
2011* 3.2 1,264 430
Energy systems and energy saving 2010* 15.9 4,586 1,580
2011* 16.3 4,985 1,563
Wholesale trade in waste and scrap 2010* 6.0 3,701 3,246
2011* 6.2 4,015 3,505
Philanthropic envir organisations 2010* 1.7 147 86
2011* 1.6 141 85
In-house environmental activities 2010* 5.1 1,412 536
2011* 4.9 1,437 528
Insulation activities constr. industry 2010* 6.2 768 355
2011* 6.2 824 376
Environmental consultancy, engineering 2010* 8.0 1,340 707
2011* 8.2 1,335 700
Environmental services 2010* 27.6 9,326 3,392
2011* 26.9 9,408 3,325
Environmental inspection, certification 2010* 2.4 197 113
2011* 2.5 207 119
Environmental related constr. activities 2010* 9.5 2,363 647
2011* 9.3 2,317 647
Education about the environment 2010* 0.5 50 38
2011* 0.5 52 39
Gov. administration for environment 2010* 6.4 1,413 586
2011* 6.2 1,379 583
Production of renewable energy 2010* 2.6 1,324 756
2011* 2.8 1,820 843
Production of industrial envir equipment 2010* 5.4 1,298 413
2011* 5.4 1,504 436
Second-hand shops (not antiques) 2010* 5.0 229 72
2011* 5.2 286 86
Preparation for recycling 2010* 2.9 1,256 245
2011* 3.3 1,784 411
Water quantity management 2010* 4.0 1,235 631
2011* 3.9 1,277 652
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table presents economic data for the environmental goods and services sector. Labour input, output and gross value added of the environmental goods and services sector are presented.

Output and gross value added are measured in basic prices and labour input is measured in full time equivalents (employed persons).

The environmental goods and services sector consists of a group of companies and authorities involved in activities with respect to measuring, preventing, limiting, minimalizing or correcting environmental damage to water, air and soil, and problems related to waste, noise and ecosystems (OECD, 1999; Eurostat 2009).

This definition includes ‘cleaner technologies ‘and ‘cleaner goods and services’ which reduce environmental risk and minimize the use of natural resources and pollution. The definition of the environmental goods and services sector is determined on European level and is used by EU-countries accordingly.

Data available from: 1995 - 2011

Status of the figures:
The figures concerning are provisional. Because this table is discontinued, figures will not be updated anymore.

Changes as of November 12, 2014:
None, this table is discontinued.

When will new figures be published?
Not applicable anymore. This table is replaced by table: Environmental goods and services sector; activities, economic indicators. See paragraph 3.

Description topics

Labour input of employed persons
The input of labour that is deployed in a certain period. The labour input can be expressed as jobs, years of employment and hours of employment.
Employed persons are all individuals working at a company that is settled in The Netherlands or at a private household in The Netherlands.
Employed persons are considered all individuals performing paid labour, even if it is for just one or a few hour a week, even if they:
- perform labour that is legal, but which from the payment is withdrawn from registration by the treasury and social security authorities ('black labour');
- do not perform any labour temporary, but still get payment (e.g. in case of illness or hold-ups due to frost);
- are on holiday temporary, without payment.
Employed persons can be categorised in employees and freelancers.
Employees are individuals performing labour for a certain period, in return of payment or salary, in money or in kind.
Freelancers are individuals receiving income by performing labour at their own expenses and risk, for the company or profession they practise independently. Participating members of the family are also considered freelancers, unless they start an employment contract.
Output at basic prices
Output (basic prices) covers the value of all goods produced for sale, including unsold goods, and all receipts for services rendered. Output furthermore covers the market equivalent of goods and services produced for own use, such as own account capital formation, services of owner-occupied dwellings and agricultural products produced by farmers for own consumption.
The output of such goods is estimated by valuing the quantities produced against the price that the producer would have received if these goods had been sold. Output is valued at basic prices, defined as the price received by the producer excluding trade and transport margins and the balance of taxes and subsidies on products. This is the price the producer is ultimately left with.
Gross value added at basic prices
Value added at basic prices is equal to the difference between production (basic prices) and intermediate consumption.