Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Romania
Romania: Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports was 3.07 kilograms in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Romania, 1991–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms.
Analysis
Romania recorded 3.07 kilograms for plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.9% on the previous year and up 59.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Romania peaked at 5.09 kilograms in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0 kilograms, in 2001.
That places Romania 22nd out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Romania, year by year
| Year | kilograms | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 0.0002 kilograms | — |
| 1992 | 0.0048 kilograms | +2104.0% |
| 1993 | 0.0023 kilograms | -51.6% |
| 1994 | 0.0022 kilograms | -5.3% |
| 1995 | 0.0009 kilograms | -59.7% |
| 1996 | 0.0016 kilograms | +85.4% |
| 1997 | 0.0053 kilograms | +221.6% |
| 1998 | 0.0005 kilograms | -90.3% |
| 2000 | 0.0087 kilograms | +1585.2% |
| 2001 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
| 2002 | 0.0013 kilograms | — |
| 2003 | 0.0008 kilograms | -38.2% |
| 2004 | 0.0006 kilograms | -18.0% |
| 2005 | 0.0014 kilograms | +124.0% |
| 2006 | 0.0127 kilograms | +777.6% |
| 2007 | 0.0603 kilograms | +374.3% |
| 2008 | 0.2653 kilograms | +340.2% |
| 2009 | 0.1313 kilograms | -50.5% |
| 2010 | 0.3009 kilograms | +129.1% |
| 2011 | 0.7886 kilograms | +162.1% |
| 2012 | 1.18 kilograms | +49.2% |
| 2013 | 1.48 kilograms | +26.1% |
| 2014 | 1.93 kilograms | +30.2% |
| 2015 | 1.67 kilograms | -13.4% |
| 2016 | 2.84 kilograms | +70.1% |
| 2017 | 3.36 kilograms | +18.3% |
| 2018 | 4.33 kilograms | +28.8% |
| 2019 | 5.09 kilograms | +17.6% |
| 2020 | 3.72 kilograms | -27.0% |
| 2021 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
| 2022 | 3.42 kilograms | — |
| 2023 | 2.9 kilograms | -15.1% |
| 2024 | 3.07 kilograms | +5.9% |
Romania compared with similar countries
- Romania's 3.07 kilograms is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1847 kilograms, 16.6× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Romania's 3.07 kilograms is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.4987 kilograms, 6.2× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Romania changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +2104.0% | 0.0002 kilograms | 0.0048 kilograms |
| 2000 | +1585.2% | 0.0005 kilograms | 0.0087 kilograms |
| 2006 | +777.6% | 0.0014 kilograms | 0.0127 kilograms |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0022 kilograms | 0.0002 kilograms | 0.0053 kilograms | 8 |
| 2000s | 0.0482 kilograms | 0 kilograms | 0.2653 kilograms | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.3 kilograms | 0.3009 kilograms | 5.09 kilograms | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.62 kilograms | 0 kilograms | 3.72 kilograms | 5 |
Countries ranked near Romania
More environment data for Romania
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.68 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.2 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.634 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.03 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.5647 % 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 -0.1112 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Romania?
- Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Romania was 3.07 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 Romania?
- The highest recorded value was 5.09 kilograms in 2019.
- What is the lowest plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports recorded in Romania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilograms in 2001.
- How does Romania rank for plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports?
- Romania ranks 22nd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports rising or falling in Romania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Romania 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.