Plastic waste exports in Latvia
Latvia: Plastic waste exports was 18,694 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Latvia, 1994–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Latvia recorded 18,694 tonnes for plastic waste exports in 2024.
The figure is down 2.2% on the previous year and up 55.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Latvia peaked at 19,638 tonnes in 2022 and was at its lowest, 28.66 tonnes, in 1994.
Latvia ranks 33rd of 167 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste exports in Latvia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 28.66 tonnes | — |
| 1995 | 940.25 tonnes | +3180.8% |
| 1996 | 902.12 tonnes | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 1,226 tonnes | +35.9% |
| 1998 | 1,267 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 666.66 tonnes | -47.4% |
| 2000 | 281.73 tonnes | -57.7% |
| 2001 | 799.29 tonnes | +183.7% |
| 2002 | 925.23 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 2003 | 648.68 tonnes | -29.9% |
| 2004 | 1,462 tonnes | +125.4% |
| 2005 | 3,434 tonnes | +134.8% |
| 2006 | 3,370 tonnes | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 4,350 tonnes | +29.1% |
| 2008 | 2,763 tonnes | -36.5% |
| 2009 | 5,662 tonnes | +104.9% |
| 2010 | 6,762 tonnes | +19.4% |
| 2011 | 10,224 tonnes | +51.2% |
| 2012 | 9,931 tonnes | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 7,069 tonnes | -28.8% |
| 2014 | 12,011 tonnes | +69.9% |
| 2015 | 10,128 tonnes | -15.7% |
| 2016 | 12,759 tonnes | +26.0% |
| 2017 | 12,675 tonnes | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 11,944 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 2019 | 15,426 tonnes | +29.2% |
| 2020 | 17,867 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 2021 | 14,163 tonnes | -20.7% |
| 2022 | 19,638 tonnes | +38.7% |
| 2023 | 19,121 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 2024 | 18,694 tonnes | -2.2% |
Latvia compared with similar countries
- Latvia's 18,694 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,588 tonnes, 4.1× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Latvia's 18,694 tonnes is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7,198 tonnes, 2.6× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Latvia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +3180.8% | 28.66 tonnes | 940.25 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 838.54 tonnes | 28.66 tonnes | 1,267 tonnes | 6 |
| 2000s | 2,370 tonnes | 281.73 tonnes | 5,662 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 10,893 tonnes | 6,762 tonnes | 15,426 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 17,897 tonnes | 14,163 tonnes | 19,638 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Latvia
More environment data for Latvia
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.883 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.56 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.4753 % 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 0.0183 % 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 -0.0555 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste exports in Latvia?
- Plastic waste exports in Latvia was 18,694 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 Latvia?
- The highest recorded value was 19,638 tonnes in 2022.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Latvia?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.66 tonnes in 1994.
- How does Latvia rank for plastic waste exports?
- Latvia ranks 33rd out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in Latvia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 55.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latvia 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.