Plastic waste exports in Germany
Germany: Plastic waste exports was 0 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Germany, 1991–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Germany recorded 0 tonnes for plastic waste exports in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 100.0% on the previous year and down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Germany peaked at 1.51 million tonnes in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 2020.
Germany ranks 144th of 167 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 160,183 tonnes | 102,903 tonnes | 212,759 tonnes | 9 |
| 2000s | 637,517 tonnes | 209,280 tonnes | 1.48 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.35 million tonnes | 1.05 million tonnes | 1.51 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 304,289 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 820,093 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Germany
- 141 Angola 2.03 tonnes compare
- 142 East Timor 1 tonnes compare
- 143 Papua New Guinea 0.828 tonnes compare
- 144 Austria 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Bahrain 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Canada 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Fiji 0 tonnes compare
- 144 France 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Ghana 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Hungary 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Italy 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Jordan 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Kazakhstan 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Lebanon 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Malaysia 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Mexico 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Oman 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Qatar 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Romania 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Singapore 0 tonnes compare
- 144 South Korea 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Spain 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Thailand 0 tonnes compare
- 144 United Arab Emirates 0 tonnes compare
- 144 United Kingdom 0 tonnes compare
- 144 United States 0 tonnes compare
More environment data for Germany
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 674.36 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 8.07 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 33.97 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 2.87 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 9.52 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.2198 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 55.51 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.3905 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.1987 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 8.1 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste exports in Germany?
- Plastic waste exports in Germany was 0 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 1.51 million tonnes in 2012.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 2020.
- How does Germany rank for plastic waste exports?
- Germany ranks 144th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Germany 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 — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The amount of plastic waste a country exports to other countries, measured in tonnes per year.