Plastic waste exports in India
India: Plastic waste exports was 2,621 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in India, 1988–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for plastic waste exports in India is 2,621 tonnes, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 29.6% on the previous year and down 70.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in India peaked at 29,944 tonnes in 2010 and was at its lowest, 122.7 tonnes, in 1999.
That places India 76th out of 167 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste exports in India, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 321.28 tonnes | — |
| 1989 | 836.15 tonnes | +160.3% |
| 1990 | 1,231 tonnes | +47.3% |
| 1991 | 1,034 tonnes | -16.0% |
| 1992 | 452.59 tonnes | -56.2% |
| 1993 | 1,869 tonnes | +312.9% |
| 1994 | 1,342 tonnes | -28.2% |
| 1995 | 1,369 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 740.99 tonnes | -45.9% |
| 1997 | 243.32 tonnes | -67.2% |
| 1998 | 146 tonnes | -40.0% |
| 1999 | 122.7 tonnes | -16.0% |
| 2000 | 797.08 tonnes | +549.6% |
| 2001 | 1,129 tonnes | +41.6% |
| 2002 | 653.21 tonnes | -42.1% |
| 2003 | 3,050 tonnes | +367.0% |
| 2004 | 25,577 tonnes | +738.5% |
| 2005 | 11,053 tonnes | -56.8% |
| 2006 | 14,024 tonnes | +26.9% |
| 2007 | 13,820 tonnes | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 6,989 tonnes | -49.4% |
| 2009 | 12,094 tonnes | +73.0% |
| 2010 | 29,944 tonnes | +147.6% |
| 2011 | 20,810 tonnes | -30.5% |
| 2012 | 23,049 tonnes | +10.8% |
| 2013 | 15,821 tonnes | -31.4% |
| 2014 | 8,778 tonnes | -44.5% |
| 2015 | 5,611 tonnes | -36.1% |
| 2016 | 2,832 tonnes | -49.5% |
| 2017 | 2,804 tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 3,223 tonnes | +15.0% |
| 2019 | 2,828 tonnes | -12.3% |
| 2020 | 3,820 tonnes | +35.1% |
| 2021 | 5,840 tonnes | +52.9% |
| 2022 | 4,158 tonnes | -28.8% |
| 2023 | 2,023 tonnes | -51.3% |
| 2024 | 2,621 tonnes | +29.6% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 2,621 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,451 tonnes, 1.8× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- India's 2,621 tonnes is above the median for South Asia, which is 1,050 tonnes, 2.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in India 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +738.5% | 3,050 tonnes | 25,577 tonnes |
| 2000 | +549.6% | 122.7 tonnes | 797.08 tonnes |
| 2003 | +367.0% | 653.21 tonnes | 3,050 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 578.72 tonnes | 321.28 tonnes | 836.15 tonnes | 2 |
| 1990s | 855.12 tonnes | 122.7 tonnes | 1,869 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 8,919 tonnes | 653.21 tonnes | 25,577 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,570 tonnes | 2,804 tonnes | 29,944 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,692 tonnes | 2,023 tonnes | 5,840 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More environment data for India
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % 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 1.12 % 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 India?
- Plastic waste exports in India was 2,621 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 29,944 tonnes in 2010.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 122.7 tonnes in 1999.
- How does India rank for plastic waste exports?
- India ranks 76th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 70.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India 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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CSV · JSON — 37 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.