Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports by country

The amount of plastic waste imported per person, measured in kilograms per person per year.

Countries reporting
182
Highest
53.21 kilograms
Slovenia
Lowest
0 kilograms
Uzbekistan
Median
0.038 kilograms
Years covered
37
1988–2024
Data points
4,496

What the numbers show

Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports is currently reported for 182 countries. The highest value is 53.21 kilograms in Slovenia; the lowest is 0 kilograms in Uzbekistan.

The median across all reporting countries is 0.038 kilograms, and the mean is 2 kilograms.

Over the past decade 85 countries rose and 89 fell. The largest increase was in Benin (up 1,389,100.0%), and the largest decrease in Bulgaria (down 100.0%).

Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Slovenia 53.21 kilograms 2024 up 24.6% volatile
2 Lithuania 36.01 kilograms 2024 up 162.3% volatile
3 Netherlands 35.92 kilograms 2024 β€” volatile
4 Belgium 29.66 kilograms 2024 up 73.7% falling
5 Austria 20.25 kilograms 2024 down 30.8% volatile
6 Czechia 19.99 kilograms 2024 up 64.2% volatile
7 Sweden 16.92 kilograms 2024 β€” volatile
8 Denmark 16.06 kilograms 2024 up 213.9% volatile
9 Luxembourg 14.01 kilograms 2024 up 29.1% volatile
10 Malaysia 12.19 kilograms 2024 up 65.1% volatile
11 Croatia 11.91 kilograms 2024 up 293.0% volatile
12 Latvia 9.37 kilograms 2024 down 68.9% volatile
13 Turkey 7.75 kilograms 2024 up 502.3% volatile
14 Portugal 6.96 kilograms 2024 down 12.4% volatile
15 Cyprus 6.81 kilograms 2024 up 303,152.0% volatile
16 Germany 6.07 kilograms 2024 down 1.0% volatile
17 Ireland 5.85 kilograms 2024 down 66.6% volatile
18 Estonia 5.59 kilograms 2024 up 139.3% volatile
19 Canada 3.94 kilograms 2024 down 25.1% rising
20 Palau 3.71 kilograms 2018 up 362.3% volatile
21 Italy 3.41 kilograms 2024 up 28.2% falling
22 Romania 3.07 kilograms 2024 up 59.2% volatile
23 Laos 2.87 kilograms 2023 up 1,111.6% volatile
24 Vietnam 2.56 kilograms 2023 up 246.3% volatile
25 Serbia 2.48 kilograms 2024 up 781.4% volatile
26 Azerbaijan 2.47 kilograms 2024 up 127,584.0% volatile
27 Thailand 2.08 kilograms 2024 up 93.3% volatile
28 France 2.05 kilograms 2024 up 18.3% volatile
29 Finland 1.39 kilograms 2024 up 472.5% volatile
30 Hong Kong 1.34 kilograms 2024 down 99.7% volatile
31 Paraguay 1.07 kilograms 2024 up 13,751.0% volatile
32 Solomon Islands 0.9791 kilograms 2018 β€” volatile
33 El Salvador 0.923 kilograms 2024 up 33.8% rising
34 Costa Rica 0.9119 kilograms 2023 down 37.5% volatile
35 Indonesia 0.8979 kilograms 2023 up 67.2% volatile
36 Bahrain 0.8469 kilograms 2023 up 84.3% volatile
37 Guatemala 0.7768 kilograms 2024 up 348.5% volatile
38 Saudi Arabia 0.7694 kilograms 2024 up 198.5% volatile
39 Norway 0.7405 kilograms 2024 down 67.1% volatile
40 Syria 0.7096 kilograms 2010 up 1,712.1% volatile
41 Israel 0.5596 kilograms 2024 up 67.6% volatile
42 Oman 0.5128 kilograms 2023 down 48.6% volatile
43 Qatar 0.5044 kilograms 2023 down 48.1% volatile
44 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.5002 kilograms 2024 down 37.8% volatile
45 North Macedonia 0.4971 kilograms 2024 down 84.4% volatile
46 Yemen 0.4541 kilograms 2019 up 198.7% volatile
47 Peru 0.3674 kilograms 2024 up 301.2% volatile
48 Australia 0.3557 kilograms 2024 down 41.8% volatile
49 Belarus 0.3285 kilograms 2021 down 36.7% volatile
50 Kyrgyzstan 0.2933 kilograms 2024 up 845.5% volatile
51 Egypt 0.2725 kilograms 2024 up 102,858.0% volatile
52 Macao 0.2667 kilograms 2019 up 53.1% volatile
53 Russia 0.2655 kilograms 2021 up 216.2% volatile
54 Sri Lanka 0.2654 kilograms 2024 up 27.1% volatile
55 Ukraine 0.2645 kilograms 2024 up 81.8% volatile
56 United Arab Emirates 0.2502 kilograms 2023 down 76.5% volatile
57 Myanmar 0.226 kilograms 2024 up 1,681.4% volatile
58 Dominican Republic 0.1914 kilograms 2024 down 70.6% volatile
59 Pakistan 0.184 kilograms 2024 down 28.2% rising
60 Tunisia 0.1746 kilograms 2023 down 39.7% volatile
61 Morocco 0.168 kilograms 2023 down 43.0% volatile
62 Nicaragua 0.1516 kilograms 2023 up 11.0% volatile
63 Zimbabwe 0.1331 kilograms 2024 up 1,361.9% volatile
64 South Africa 0.1265 kilograms 2024 up 40.6% volatile
65 Chile 0.1192 kilograms 2024 down 78.5% volatile
66 Trinidad and Tobago 0.1098 kilograms 2024 up 10.3% volatile
67 Kenya 0.1094 kilograms 2023 up 1,042.3% volatile
68 Tajikistan 0.1081 kilograms 2023 up 912.1% volatile
69 Honduras 0.105 kilograms 2023 down 66.2% volatile
70 Sierra Leone 0.099 kilograms 2018 β€” volatile
71 Algeria 0.098 kilograms 2017 up 102.3% volatile
72 Bangladesh 0.0808 kilograms 2015 up 943.5% volatile
73 New Zealand 0.0799 kilograms 2024 down 93.6% volatile
74 Colombia 0.071 kilograms 2023 up 279.2% volatile
75 Armenia 0.0684 kilograms 2024 up 136.8% volatile
76 Togo 0.0675 kilograms 2024 down 70.9% volatile
77 Uganda 0.0652 kilograms 2023 up 372.8% volatile
78 Japan 0.0617 kilograms 2024 up 263.9% volatile
79 Malta 0.0615 kilograms 2024 down 38.9% volatile
80 Tonga 0.0577 kilograms 2014 down 97.2% volatile
81 Singapore 0.0543 kilograms 2023 down 93.5% volatile
82 Bhutan 0.0508 kilograms 2012 up 1,540.3% volatile
83 Benin 0.0499 kilograms 2023 up 1,389,100.0% volatile
84 Argentina 0.049 kilograms 2023 up 1,955.9% volatile
85 Lebanon 0.0479 kilograms 2023 down 82.5% volatile
86 Angola 0.0455 kilograms 2023 up 6.1% volatile
87 Comoros 0.0415 kilograms 2021 up 83.1% volatile
88 Saint Lucia 0.0397 kilograms 2020 up 152.1% volatile
89 Rwanda 0.0387 kilograms 2022 up 527.5% volatile
90 Georgia 0.0383 kilograms 2024 down 80.7% volatile
91 India 0.0382 kilograms 2024 down 80.2% volatile
92 Ethiopia 0.0379 kilograms 2023 up 1,112.8% volatile
93 Bahamas 0.0329 kilograms 2023 down 99.8% volatile
94 Iran 0.0319 kilograms 2018 up 3,424.9% volatile
95 Guinea 0.0317 kilograms 2016 up 197.7% volatile
96 Philippines 0.0297 kilograms 2024 up 9.7% volatile
97 Bolivia 0.0288 kilograms 2024 down 44.2% volatile
98 Kazakhstan 0.0284 kilograms 2023 up 1,086.7% volatile
99 Micronesia (country) 0.028 kilograms 2013 down 41.4% volatile
100 Albania 0.0265 kilograms 2016 down 91.5% volatile
101 Nigeria 0.0248 kilograms 2024 down 94.3% volatile
102 Jamaica 0.024 kilograms 2023 up 67.1% volatile
103 Mozambique 0.024 kilograms 2023 down 73.9% volatile
104 Zambia 0.0235 kilograms 2023 up 330.1% volatile
105 Uruguay 0.0228 kilograms 2023 down 88.0% volatile
106 Mauritania 0.0203 kilograms 2023 up 542.7% volatile
107 Eswatini 0.0188 kilograms 2023 down 87.7% volatile
108 Kuwait 0.0188 kilograms 2023 down 11.9% volatile
109 Burkina Faso 0.0179 kilograms 2024 up 221.7% volatile
110 Jordan 0.0175 kilograms 2023 up 1,757.0% volatile
111 Namibia 0.0166 kilograms 2024 down 74.9% volatile
112 Botswana 0.016 kilograms 2023 up 512.5% volatile
113 Andorra 0.0155 kilograms 2023 up 6,346.3% volatile
114 Panama 0.0144 kilograms 2024 down 97.4% volatile
115 Brunei 0.0113 kilograms 2023 down 65.5% volatile
116 Maldives 0.0111 kilograms 2021 up 401,370.0% volatile
117 Madagascar 0.0104 kilograms 2023 up 1,194.0% volatile
118 Mali 0.0102 kilograms 2019 up 4,816.5% volatile
119 Gambia 0.0094 kilograms 2023 β€” volatile
120 Cameroon 0.0083 kilograms 2023 down 22.8% volatile
121 Cambodia 0.0077 kilograms 2023 up 40.9% volatile
122 Tanzania 0.0076 kilograms 2023 down 84.4% volatile
123 Suriname 0.0073 kilograms 2023 up 13,312.6% volatile
124 Montenegro 0.0069 kilograms 2024 down 85.6% volatile
125 Mauritius 0.0044 kilograms 2024 up 140,529.0% volatile
126 Vanuatu 0.0043 kilograms 2011 up 297.0% volatile
127 Democratic Republic of Congo 0.0042 kilograms 2023 up 2,793.8% volatile
128 Gabon 0.004 kilograms 2023 down 86.8% volatile
129 Sudan 0.0038 kilograms 2018 up 50.0% volatile
130 Iceland 0.0036 kilograms 2024 down 98.6% volatile
131 Mongolia 0.0032 kilograms 2019 down 91.1% volatile
132 Barbados 0.0031 kilograms 2024 down 41.6% volatile
133 Bermuda 0.003 kilograms 2023 up 142.2% volatile
134 Papua New Guinea 0.0029 kilograms 2012 up 5,335.5% volatile
135 Niger 0.0028 kilograms 2023 up 12,151.7% volatile
137 Palestine 0.002 kilograms 2023 down 68.6% volatile
138 East Timor 0.0018 kilograms 2023 up 152.8% volatile
139 Samoa 0.0013 kilograms 2023 down 85.4% volatile
140 Venezuela 0.0011 kilograms 2013 down 96.8% volatile
141 Cape Verde 0.001 kilograms 2023 up 114.2% volatile
142 Fiji 0.0006 kilograms 2024 down 79.6% volatile
143 Seychelles 0.0006 kilograms 2020 down 99.8% volatile
144 Moldova 0.0005 kilograms 2024 down 69.0% volatile
145 Kiribati 0.0004 kilograms 2021 down 90.7% volatile
146 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.0004 kilograms 2017 down 89.2% volatile
147 Faroe Islands 0.0004 kilograms 2009 down 90.7% volatile
148 China 0.0002 kilograms 2020 down 100.0% volatile
149 New Caledonia 0.0002 kilograms 2014 down 95.5% volatile
150 Central African Republic 0.0002 kilograms 2022 down 86.6% volatile
151 Grenada 0.0002 kilograms 2024 down 21.3% volatile
152 Lesotho 0.0001 kilograms 2023 β€” volatile
153 Congo 0.0001 kilograms 2021 down 65.9% volatile
154 Guyana 0.0001 kilograms 2024 down 3.4% volatile
155 Antigua and Barbuda 0.0001 kilograms 2024 down 97.6% volatile
156 Nepal 0.0001 kilograms 2022 up 146.1% volatile
157 Belize 0 kilograms 2022 down 100.0% volatile
158 Burundi 0 kilograms 2022 up 55.3% volatile
159 Greenland 0 kilograms 2017 down 99.9% volatile
160 Aruba 0 kilograms 2023 down 40.6% volatile
161 Dominica 0 kilograms 2023 down 85.2% volatile
162 Ecuador 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
163 French Polynesia 0 kilograms 2022 down 55.1% volatile
164 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 kilograms 2023 down 99.7% volatile
165 Sao Tome and Principe 0 kilograms 2022 down 99.8% volatile
166 Cote d'Ivoire 0 kilograms 2023 down 100.0% volatile
167 Cuba 0 kilograms 2018 down 99.8% volatile
168 Bulgaria 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
168 Brazil 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
168 Switzerland 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
168 Spain 0 kilograms 2024 β€” volatile
168 United Kingdom 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
168 Ghana 0 kilograms 2023 down 100.0% volatile
168 Greece 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
168 Hungary 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
168 South Korea 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
168 Mexico 0 kilograms 2024 β€” volatile
168 Malawi 0 kilograms 2023 down 100.0% volatile
168 Poland 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
168 Senegal 0 kilograms 2023 down 100.0% volatile
168 Slovakia 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile
168 United States 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% flat
168 Uzbekistan 0 kilograms 2024 down 100.0% volatile

About this data

Indicator
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports
Unit
kilograms
Source
United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
183 places, 4,496 data points, 1988–2024
Last refreshed

The amount of plastic waste imported per person, measured in kilograms per person per year.