Plastic waste exports in China
China: Plastic waste exports was 63,180 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in China, 1992–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2024, plastic waste exports in China stood at 63,180 tonnes.
That represents a change of down 24.4% on the previous year and up 48.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in China peaked at 165,244 tonnes in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 2018.
That places China 14th out of 167 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste exports in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 8,255 tonnes | — |
| 1993 | 16,207 tonnes | +96.3% |
| 1994 | 12,374 tonnes | -23.7% |
| 1995 | 13,689 tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1996 | 8,536 tonnes | -37.6% |
| 1997 | 9,119 tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1998 | 7,852 tonnes | -13.9% |
| 1999 | 7,674 tonnes | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 10,233 tonnes | +33.4% |
| 2001 | 23,203 tonnes | +126.7% |
| 2002 | 28,673 tonnes | +23.6% |
| 2003 | 30,339 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2004 | 39,994 tonnes | +31.8% |
| 2005 | 44,689 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 2006 | 98,890 tonnes | +121.3% |
| 2007 | 29,072 tonnes | -70.6% |
| 2008 | 23,632 tonnes | -18.7% |
| 2009 | 33,388 tonnes | +41.3% |
| 2010 | 25,758 tonnes | -22.9% |
| 2011 | 25,488 tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 32,918 tonnes | +29.1% |
| 2013 | 41,985 tonnes | +27.5% |
| 2014 | 42,654 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 30,387 tonnes | -28.8% |
| 2016 | 165,244 tonnes | +443.8% |
| 2017 | 29,647 tonnes | -82.1% |
| 2018 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2019 | 52,375 tonnes | — |
| 2020 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2021 | 47,758 tonnes | — |
| 2022 | 53,214 tonnes | +11.4% |
| 2023 | 83,536 tonnes | +57.0% |
| 2024 | 63,180 tonnes | -24.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 63,180 tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,066 tonnes, 59.3× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- China's 63,180 tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 277.15 tonnes, 228.0× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +443.8% | 30,387 tonnes | 165,244 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10,463 tonnes | 7,674 tonnes | 16,207 tonnes | 8 |
| 2000s | 36,211 tonnes | 10,233 tonnes | 98,890 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 44,646 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 165,244 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 49,537 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 83,536 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % 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 -0.2517 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9037 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste exports in China?
- Plastic waste exports in China was 63,180 tonnes in 2024, according to United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest plastic waste exports recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 165,244 tonnes in 2016.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 2018.
- How does China rank for plastic waste exports?
- China ranks 14th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Plastic waste 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 a country exports to other countries, measured in tonnes per year.