Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Canada
Canada: Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group was 3.94 kilograms in 2024. ▼ Falling
Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Canada, 2008–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms.
Analysis
Canada recorded 3.94 kilograms for per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in 2024.
That represents a change of down 5.0% on the previous year and down 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Canada peaked at 6.97 kilograms in 2015 and was at its lowest, 3.81 kilograms, in 2018.
Canada ranks 19th of 172 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 17 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.37 kilograms | 3.86 kilograms | 4.87 kilograms | 2 |
| 2010s | 4.66 kilograms | 3.81 kilograms | 6.97 kilograms | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.38 kilograms | 3.94 kilograms | 4.92 kilograms | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More environment data for Canada
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 768.06 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 18.61 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 30.53 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.7994 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 71.72 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.2499 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 133.08 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.1643 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.5773 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 28.85 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Canada?
- Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Canada was 3.94 kilograms in 2024, according to United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 6.97 kilograms in 2015.
- What is the lowest per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.81 kilograms in 2018.
- How does Canada rank for per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group?
- Canada ranks 19th out of 172 countries with data for 2024.
- Is per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The amount of plastic waste imported per person, measured in kilograms per person per year.