Dear valued customer,
Sustainability requirements, legislation and regulations, and cost developments are playing an increasingly important role throughout the waste management chain. In this newsletter, we would like to update you on several current topics that are relevant to your organisation.
You will find more information about the adjustment of the CO₂ levy from July 2026 and the background to this development. We also explain why an NTA 8080 declaration is required for certain waste streams. In addition, we share an update on the latest developments in the waste market.
Finally, we speak with our colleague Delano Destombes from Planning & Logistics. He explains his role at AEB and how careful planning contributes to a reliable and future-proof waste management process.
In a sector that continues to evolve, close cooperation throughout the waste chain remains essential. By sharing knowledge and responding proactively to changes, we can continue working together towards a safe, sustainable and future-proof waste management chain.
Wim van Lieshout
CEO AEB Amsterdam
Over the past few weeks, AEB has informed customers by email about the adjustment of the pre-calculated CO₂ levy from 1 July 2026. In this article, we summarise the key points and explain the background to these changes.
From 1 July 2026, AEB Amsterdam will adjust the pre-calculated CO₂ levy for each EURAL code. This adjustment follows new insights into the national CO₂ levy for waste-to-energy facilities and changes to the methodology used to calculate exemptions.
Since 2021, waste-to-energy facilities have been required to pay a CO₂ levy on part of their fossil CO₂ emissions. The purpose of this statutory levy is to encourage circularity, reduce CO₂ emissions and stimulate investments in sustainability. The levy will continue to increase in the coming years.
Why are the rates increasing?
This year, it became clear across the sector that the expected CO₂ levy for 2026 will be higher than previously anticipated. This is due, among other things, to revised calculations of fossil CO₂ emissions and changes to the methodology used to determine the so-called exemption rights.
These exemption rights determine which portion of fossil CO₂ emissions is exempt from the levy. The fewer exemption rights a facility receives, the larger the share of emissions on which the CO₂ levy must be paid.
Why can AEB's CO₂ levy differ from that of other waste-to-energy facilities?
The number of exemption rights allocated to a facility is partly based on its historical activity level. Due to a change in the reference period, AEB's activity level is now based on the years 2019 to 2023.
During this period, AEB experienced several exceptional circumstances, including periods in which installations were taken out of operation, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and disruptions caused by nitrous oxide cylinder explosions. Although two COVID-19 years may be excluded from the calculation, the revised reference period is still expected to result in fewer exemption rights than before.
As a result, AEB must pay the CO₂ levy on a larger share of its fossil CO₂ emissions. This explains why AEB's pre-calculated CO₂ levy may temporarily be higher than that of some other waste-to-energy facilities.
Pre-calculated rates
The rates applicable from 1 July 2026 are based on the most up-to-date information available, including:
- the composition of the waste processed by AEB;
- the latest CO₂ conversion factors;
- AEB's waste forecast for 2026;
- the latest guidance issued by the Netherlands Emissions Authority (NEa).
The updated rates will be charged through AEB's regular weekly and monthly invoices from 1 July onwards.
Final settlement in 2027
The current rates represent the most accurate pre-calculated estimate based on the information currently available. However, the final CO₂ levy for 2026 will not be determined until 2027.
The final calculation will take into account, among other things, the definitive exemption rights, the actual volumes of waste processed, the final emissions, the final CO₂ conversion factors and the final CO₂ emissions report. Any differences between the pre-calculated rates and the actual CO₂ levy due will be settled through a final reconciliation.
Finally, we would like to emphasise that the CO₂ levy is a statutory government levy. AEB passes this levy on in full to the government; it does not generate any revenue for AEB.
AEB is certified in accordance with the Dutch Technical Agreement (NTA) 8080, the Dutch standard for sustainable biomass. This standard sets requirements for the origin and sustainability of biomass streams used for energy generation.
To comply with this certification, we request additional information for certain waste streams. In some cases, this means we require a declaration from the original waste producer. For waste collectors, brokers, intermediaries and waste traders, a RED III certificate covering the waste supplied to AEB will, in many cases, be sufficient.
Why is a declaration required?
By providing a declaration or a RED III certificate, you confirm the origin of the material supplied. This enables AEB to comply with the requirements of the NTA 8080 certification and to process the relevant waste stream correctly within the certification framework.
Which waste streams are affected?
A declaration or RED III certificate is only required for waste streams with specific EURAL codes that fall within the scope of the NTA 8080 requirements. If this applies to your waste stream, we will contact you directly. For newly registered waste streams, we will automatically request this information.
What information do we need from you?
Where a declaration or a copy of a RED III certificate is required, we will ask you to provide information about the origin of the material. Based on this information, we can determine whether the waste stream meets the sustainability requirements set out in NTA 8080.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the declaration, the RED III certificate or the information we require, please contact your AEB contact person. We will be happy to assist you.
As a Combustible Waste Planner within AEB's Planning & Logistics department, Delano Destombes is responsible for ensuring that the right amount and the right mix of waste is available for our waste-to-energy installations. A role that requires continuous coordination with customers, transport companies and colleagues. "It's one big puzzle that changes every single day."
Could you tell us a little about yourself and your role?
"I've been with AEB for four years now. I started in June 2022 as a temporary employee at the weighbridge. In April 2024, I moved to the Waste & Resources department, where I carried out administrative tasks such as processing bulk waste shipments. I was then trained internally as a Combustible Waste Planner and have been doing this role for about a year."
What makes your job so interesting?
"I work with people all day, both internally and externally. One of my responsibilities is coordinating the waste train from Italy, and I'm constantly in contact with customers and colleagues. There is always something happening that requires you to adapt. It's truly a case of never a dull moment."
What are your day-to-day responsibilities?
"My main responsibility is to make sure we have enough waste available and that the composition of the waste is right. If one of our incineration lines goes out of operation, I immediately have to adjust the incoming waste flows. Every day is a challenge to maintain the right balance in our waste bunker."
What do you mean by the right balance?
"You don't want too much high-calorific waste, but you also don't want too much low-calorific waste. We also try to minimise contaminants, such as nitrous oxide cylinders. If we find them, they are removed from the waste stream and sent to a dedicated shredding facility."
How do you work together with customers?
"Pretty much all day long. I have daily contact with our larger customers. I send them reports showing how much waste has already been delivered and how much is still planned."
"For example, if Renewi has scheduled 6,000 tonnes for a particular week but has only delivered 2,000 tonnes so far, we work together to determine how best to spread the remaining deliveries over the rest of the week."
That sounds like quite a challenge.
"It definitely is. Planning takes a lot of time, and you're constantly adjusting because something always changes. If an installation returns to service earlier than expected, I may suddenly need additional waste. If capacity decreases, I need to reduce incoming deliveries. That requires flexibility from both us and our customers."
Do you work alone or as part of a team?
"I'm responsible for planning combustible waste. We also have another planner who focuses on hazardous waste and bulk and semi-bulk waste streams. I work closely with colleagues who create waste stream numbers and with those who coordinate transport, including the waste trains. I'm really at the centre of the process."
What developments have you seen over the past year?
"We've been working hard to make our train planning more consistent. It's improving steadily and runs much more smoothly than it did a year ago."
"We're also working with customers to spread deliveries more evenly throughout the day. Most deliveries currently arrive between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., while our site is open from 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. Better distribution helps improve the logistics process for everyone."
Is that easy to achieve?
"Not always. We work with many different external parties, so we can't simply tell customers when to deliver. What we can do is work together. If I notice that it is becoming particularly busy, I'll call our larger customers to see whether deliveries can be shifted to another time."
What can customers contact you about?
"I'm the first point of contact for many of our customers' planners. Whether they have additional loads, fewer deliveries than planned or questions about scheduling, they contact me and together we find the best solution."
What do you enjoy most about your job?
"It's the cooperation. We support our customers and they support us. In the end, we all share the same goal: ensuring a stable and reliable flow of waste. That's what makes this job so rewarding."
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The available configuration consists of two stationary waste compactors with 32 hook-lift containers. Delivery of one stationary waste compactor with 16 hook-lift containers is also possible.
Full specifications, photographs and contact details are available on the sales page.