Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Sweden
Sweden: Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports was 16.92 kilograms in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Sweden, 1992–2024
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 Sweden is 16.92 kilograms, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 4.8% on the previous year and up 109.4% over five years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Sweden peaked at 32.01 kilograms in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0 kilograms, in 2012.
Sweden ranks 7th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Sweden, year by year
| Year | kilograms | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 0.3883 kilograms | — |
| 1993 | 0.3653 kilograms | -5.9% |
| 1994 | 0.5215 kilograms | +42.8% |
| 1995 | 0.6919 kilograms | +32.7% |
| 1996 | 0.8446 kilograms | +22.1% |
| 1997 | 1.21 kilograms | +43.2% |
| 1998 | 1.48 kilograms | +22.6% |
| 1999 | 1.82 kilograms | +22.6% |
| 2000 | 1.91 kilograms | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 2.09 kilograms | +9.4% |
| 2002 | 1.75 kilograms | -16.3% |
| 2003 | 1.46 kilograms | -16.8% |
| 2004 | 2.09 kilograms | +43.3% |
| 2005 | 1.89 kilograms | -9.8% |
| 2006 | 2.01 kilograms | +6.9% |
| 2007 | 8.67 kilograms | +330.7% |
| 2008 | 9.45 kilograms | +9.0% |
| 2009 | 14.85 kilograms | +57.1% |
| 2010 | 32.01 kilograms | +115.6% |
| 2011 | 26.98 kilograms | -15.7% |
| 2012 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
| 2013 | 22.13 kilograms | — |
| 2014 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
| 2015 | 18.57 kilograms | — |
| 2016 | 14.17 kilograms | -23.7% |
| 2017 | 9.17 kilograms | -35.3% |
| 2018 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
| 2019 | 8.08 kilograms | — |
| 2020 | 8.78 kilograms | +8.6% |
| 2021 | 9.86 kilograms | +12.4% |
| 2022 | 11.58 kilograms | +17.4% |
| 2023 | 16.14 kilograms | +39.4% |
| 2024 | 16.92 kilograms | +4.8% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 16.92 kilograms is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1847 kilograms, 91.6× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 16.92 kilograms is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.4987 kilograms, 33.9× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +330.7% | 2.01 kilograms | 8.67 kilograms |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.9151 kilograms | 0.3653 kilograms | 1.82 kilograms | 8 |
| 2000s | 4.62 kilograms | 1.46 kilograms | 14.85 kilograms | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.11 kilograms | 0 kilograms | 32.01 kilograms | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.65 kilograms | 8.78 kilograms | 16.92 kilograms | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More environment data for Sweden
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 1.1 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.852 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.72 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0.4367 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.27 % 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 -0.0922 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Sweden?
- Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in Sweden was 16.92 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 32.01 kilograms in 2010.
- What is the lowest plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilograms in 2012.
- How does Sweden rank for plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports?
- Sweden ranks 7th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Sweden 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
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Amount of plastic waste imported per person, measured in kilograms per person per year.