Plastic waste exports in Ireland
Ireland: Plastic waste exports was 70,923 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Ireland, 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
Ireland recorded 70,923 tonnes for plastic waste exports in 2024. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Ireland peaked at 70,923 tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 2013.
Ireland ranks 11th of 167 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 exports in Ireland, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 1,446 tonnes | — |
| 1993 | 254.27 tonnes | -82.4% |
| 1994 | 1,259 tonnes | +395.1% |
| 1995 | 370.05 tonnes | -70.6% |
| 1996 | 963.82 tonnes | +160.5% |
| 1997 | 1,480 tonnes | +53.5% |
| 1998 | 1,311 tonnes | -11.4% |
| 1999 | 2,318 tonnes | +76.7% |
| 2000 | 3,086 tonnes | +33.1% |
| 2001 | 2,247 tonnes | -27.2% |
| 2002 | 2,297 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 2,593 tonnes | +12.9% |
| 2004 | 5,244 tonnes | +102.3% |
| 2005 | 10,069 tonnes | +92.0% |
| 2006 | 7,771 tonnes | -22.8% |
| 2007 | 26,144 tonnes | +236.4% |
| 2008 | 28,242 tonnes | +8.0% |
| 2009 | 36,888 tonnes | +30.6% |
| 2010 | 40,897 tonnes | +10.9% |
| 2011 | 38,306 tonnes | -6.3% |
| 2012 | 37,547 tonnes | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2014 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2015 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2016 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2017 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2018 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2019 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2020 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2021 | 50,089 tonnes | — |
| 2022 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2023 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2024 | 70,923 tonnes | — |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 70,923 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,588 tonnes, 15.5× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 70,923 tonnes is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7,198 tonnes, 9.9× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Ireland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +395.1% | 254.27 tonnes | 1,259 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,175 tonnes | 254.27 tonnes | 2,318 tonnes | 8 |
| 2000s | 12,458 tonnes | 2,247 tonnes | 36,888 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,675 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 40,897 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 24,202 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 70,923 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More environment data for Ireland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.17 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.412 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.89 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.13 % 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 -0.0083 % 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 Ireland?
- Plastic waste exports in Ireland was 70,923 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 70,923 tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 2013.
- How does Ireland rank for plastic waste exports?
- Ireland ranks 11th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Ireland 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.