South Korea vs United States: Plastic waste exports
South Korea
0 tonnes
in 2024
United States
0 tonnes
in 2024
South Korea rank
144th
United States rank
144th
Plastic waste exports over time
- South Korea
- United States
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 0 tonnes against 0 tonnes in United States, a difference of 0 tonnes.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1991 it was United States ahead.
South Korea ranks 144th and United States ranks 144th of 167 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12,528 tonnes | 240,578 tonnes | 228,051 tonnes | United States |
| 2000s | 183,336 tonnes | 1.11 million tonnes | 925,631 tonnes | United States |
| 2010s | 161,989 tonnes | 1.24 million tonnes | 1.08 million tonnes | United States |
| 2020s | 0 tonnes | 211,270 tonnes | 211,270 tonnes | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher plastic waste exports, South Korea or United States?
- South Korea, at 0 tonnes against 0 tonnes in United States as of 2024.
- What is the difference in plastic waste exports between South Korea and United States?
- 0 tonnes, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and United States?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2024.
- How do South Korea and United States rank globally for plastic waste exports?
- South Korea ranks 144th and United States ranks 144th of 167 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Plastic waste exports. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The amount of plastic waste a country exports to other countries, measured in tonnes per year.