Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in New Zealand
New Zealand: Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports was 0.0799 kilograms in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in New Zealand, 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
New Zealand recorded 0.0799 kilograms for plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in 2024.
The figure is down 79.7% on the previous year and down 93.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in New Zealand peaked at 1.72 kilograms in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0 kilograms, in 2017.
New Zealand ranks 73rd of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | kilograms | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 0.1491 kilograms | — |
| 1990 | 0.1062 kilograms | -28.7% |
| 1991 | 0.0058 kilograms | -94.5% |
| 1992 | 0.0115 kilograms | +97.5% |
| 1993 | 0.0237 kilograms | +105.6% |
| 1994 | 0.0448 kilograms | +88.9% |
| 1995 | 0.0533 kilograms | +19.0% |
| 1996 | 0.0584 kilograms | +9.6% |
| 1997 | 0.1447 kilograms | +147.7% |
| 1998 | 0.0577 kilograms | -60.1% |
| 1999 | 0.28 kilograms | +385.6% |
| 2000 | 0.325 kilograms | +16.1% |
| 2001 | 0.397 kilograms | +22.1% |
| 2002 | 0.5428 kilograms | +36.7% |
| 2003 | 0.657 kilograms | +21.0% |
| 2004 | 0.6948 kilograms | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 0.7204 kilograms | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 0.879 kilograms | +22.0% |
| 2007 | 0.6905 kilograms | -21.4% |
| 2008 | 0.6745 kilograms | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 0.7183 kilograms | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 1.15 kilograms | +60.2% |
| 2011 | 0.9319 kilograms | -19.0% |
| 2012 | 1.07 kilograms | +14.8% |
| 2013 | 1.72 kilograms | +60.4% |
| 2014 | 1.26 kilograms | -26.8% |
| 2015 | 1.4 kilograms | +11.3% |
| 2016 | 1.47 kilograms | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
| 2018 | 1.37 kilograms | — |
| 2019 | 1.24 kilograms | -9.0% |
| 2020 | 1.03 kilograms | -17.2% |
| 2021 | 1.29 kilograms | +25.5% |
| 2022 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
| 2023 | 0.3936 kilograms | — |
| 2024 | 0.0799 kilograms | -79.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1491 kilograms | 0.1491 kilograms | 0.1491 kilograms | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.0786 kilograms | 0.0058 kilograms | 0.28 kilograms | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6299 kilograms | 0.325 kilograms | 0.879 kilograms | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.16 kilograms | 0 kilograms | 1.72 kilograms | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5592 kilograms | 0 kilograms | 1.29 kilograms | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More environment data for New Zealand
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2131 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.69 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.379 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 15.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.0722 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate 4.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in New Zealand?
- Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in New Zealand was 0.0799 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 1.72 kilograms in 2013.
- What is the lowest plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilograms in 2017.
- How does New Zealand rank for plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports?
- New Zealand ranks 73rd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 93.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.
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About this data
Amount of plastic waste imported per person, measured in kilograms per person per year.