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.
Per capita plastic waste exports and imports by income group in Canada, year by year
| Year | kilograms | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 4.87 kilograms | — |
| 2009 | 3.86 kilograms | -20.7% |
| 2010 | 4.36 kilograms | +12.9% |
| 2011 | 4.47 kilograms | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 4.47 kilograms | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 4.18 kilograms | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 5.26 kilograms | +26.0% |
| 2015 | 6.97 kilograms | +32.5% |
| 2016 | 4.75 kilograms | -31.8% |
| 2017 | 3.85 kilograms | -19.0% |
| 2018 | 3.81 kilograms | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 4.45 kilograms | +16.7% |
| 2020 | 4.7 kilograms | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 4.92 kilograms | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 4.17 kilograms | -15.1% |
| 2023 | 4.15 kilograms | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 3.94 kilograms | -5.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 3.94 kilograms is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1847 kilograms, 21.3× the median. (66 countries reporting)
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
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.76 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.642 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.96 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 2.9 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.3398 % change on previous year (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
Amount of plastic waste imported per person, measured in kilograms per person per year.