Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Canada
Canada: Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports was 3.94 kilograms in 2024. ▲ Rising
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Canada, 1989–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms.
Analysis
The most recent figure for plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Canada is 3.94 kilograms, measured 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, plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Canada peaked at 6.97 kilograms in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.657 kilograms, in 1989.
That places Canada 19th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Canada, year by year
| Year | kilograms | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 0.657 kilograms | — |
| 1990 | 0.7144 kilograms | +8.7% |
| 1991 | 0.8368 kilograms | +17.1% |
| 1992 | 1.11 kilograms | +32.7% |
| 1993 | 1.35 kilograms | +21.4% |
| 1994 | 2.48 kilograms | +83.7% |
| 1995 | 3.1 kilograms | +25.3% |
| 1996 | 3.3 kilograms | +6.5% |
| 1997 | 4.15 kilograms | +25.6% |
| 1998 | 4.35 kilograms | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 4.67 kilograms | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 5.73 kilograms | +22.6% |
| 2001 | 6.32 kilograms | +10.3% |
| 2002 | 5.58 kilograms | -11.6% |
| 2003 | 5.34 kilograms | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 6.51 kilograms | +21.9% |
| 2005 | 6.67 kilograms | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 6.45 kilograms | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 5.71 kilograms | -11.4% |
| 2008 | 4.87 kilograms | -14.7% |
| 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. (68 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.657 kilograms | 0.657 kilograms | 0.657 kilograms | 1 |
| 1990s | 2.61 kilograms | 0.7144 kilograms | 4.67 kilograms | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.7 kilograms | 3.86 kilograms | 6.67 kilograms | 10 |
| 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 plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Canada?
- Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports 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 plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 6.97 kilograms in 2015.
- What is the lowest plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.657 kilograms in 1989.
- How does Canada rank for plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports?
- Canada ranks 19th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Amount of plastic waste imported per person, measured in kilograms per person per year.