Plastic waste exports in Ghana
Ghana: Plastic waste exports was 0 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Ghana, 1999–2023
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, plastic waste exports in Ghana stood at 0 tonnes. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.
That represents a change of down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Ghana peaked at 1,033 tonnes in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 2014.
Ghana 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.
Plastic waste exports in Ghana, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 1.25 tonnes | — |
| 2003 | 641.79 tonnes | +51243.4% |
| 2005 | 20.74 tonnes | -96.8% |
| 2006 | 214.24 tonnes | +932.9% |
| 2007 | 113.8 tonnes | -46.9% |
| 2008 | 143.33 tonnes | +25.9% |
| 2009 | 32.73 tonnes | -77.2% |
| 2010 | 261.58 tonnes | +699.2% |
| 2011 | 260.87 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 203.85 tonnes | -21.9% |
| 2013 | 1,033 tonnes | +406.6% |
| 2014 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2015 | 465.78 tonnes | — |
| 2016 | 139.53 tonnes | -70.0% |
| 2017 | 961.88 tonnes | +589.3% |
| 2018 | 66.04 tonnes | -93.1% |
| 2019 | 297.39 tonnes | +350.3% |
| 2023 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 0 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,451 tonnes. (39 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 0 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,090 tonnes. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Ghana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +51243.4% | 1.25 tonnes | 641.79 tonnes |
| 2006 | +932.9% | 20.74 tonnes | 214.24 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.25 tonnes | 1.25 tonnes | 1.25 tonnes | 1 |
| 2000s | 194.44 tonnes | 20.74 tonnes | 641.79 tonnes | 6 |
| 2010s | 368.96 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 1,033 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 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 Germany 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 Ghana
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -13.57 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -11.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.26 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.34 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.72 % 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 0.8796 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste exports in Ghana?
- Plastic waste exports in Ghana was 0 tonnes in 2023, 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 1,033 tonnes in 2013.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 2014.
- How does Ghana rank for plastic waste exports?
- Ghana ranks 144th out of 167 countries with data for 2023.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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.
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About this data
Amount of plastic waste a country exports to other countries, measured in tonnes per year.