Netherlands vs Sweden: Plastic waste exports
Netherlands
557,595 tonnes
in 2024
Sweden
122,610 tonnes
in 2024
Netherlands rank
2nd
Sweden rank
5th
Plastic waste exports over time
- Netherlands
- Sweden
How they compare
Netherlands currently reports 557,595 tonnes against 122,610 tonnes in Sweden, a difference of 434,985 tonnes.
That makes Netherlands's figure about 4.5 times Sweden's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 33 shared years of data; in 1992 it was Netherlands ahead.
Netherlands ranks 2nd and Sweden ranks 5th of 167 countries.
Netherlands has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Netherlands | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 181,012 tonnes | 18,167 tonnes | 162,844 tonnes | Netherlands |
| 2000s | 320,857 tonnes | 50,142 tonnes | 270,715 tonnes | Netherlands |
| 2010s | 373,378 tonnes | 96,466 tonnes | 276,912 tonnes | Netherlands |
| 2020s | 558,404 tonnes | 118,368 tonnes | 440,037 tonnes | Netherlands |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher plastic waste exports, Netherlands or Sweden?
- Netherlands, at 557,595 tonnes against 122,610 tonnes in Sweden as of 2024.
- What is the difference in plastic waste exports between Netherlands and Sweden?
- 434,985 tonnes, with Netherlands ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Netherlands and Sweden?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1992 to 2024.
- How do Netherlands and Sweden rank globally for plastic waste exports?
- Netherlands ranks 2nd and Sweden ranks 5th 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
Amount of plastic waste a country exports to other countries, measured in tonnes per year.