Plastic waste exports in Myanmar
Myanmar: Plastic waste exports was 6,543 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Myanmar, 2011–2024
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 Myanmar is 6,543 tonnes, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 26.2% on the previous year and up 4,759.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Myanmar peaked at 39,648 tonnes in 2017 and was at its lowest, 134.64 tonnes, in 2014.
That places Myanmar 54th 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 Myanmar, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 24,392 tonnes | — |
| 2013 | 2,730 tonnes | -88.8% |
| 2014 | 134.64 tonnes | -95.1% |
| 2015 | 374.19 tonnes | +177.9% |
| 2016 | 1,786 tonnes | +377.3% |
| 2017 | 39,648 tonnes | +2119.9% |
| 2018 | 11,549 tonnes | -70.9% |
| 2019 | 6,123 tonnes | -47.0% |
| 2020 | 7,250 tonnes | +18.4% |
| 2021 | 2,705 tonnes | -62.7% |
| 2022 | 4,795 tonnes | +77.3% |
| 2023 | 8,871 tonnes | +85.0% |
| 2024 | 6,543 tonnes | -26.2% |
Myanmar compared with similar countries
- Myanmar's 6,543 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,451 tonnes, 4.5× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Myanmar's 6,543 tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 277.15 tonnes, 23.6× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Myanmar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +2119.9% | 1,786 tonnes | 39,648 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10,842 tonnes | 134.64 tonnes | 39,648 tonnes | 8 |
| 2020s | 6,033 tonnes | 2,705 tonnes | 8,871 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Myanmar
- 51 Mauritania 6,843 tonnes compare
- 52 Tajikistan 6,675 tonnes compare
- 53 Chile 6,656 tonnes compare
- 55 Hong Kong 6,535 tonnes compare
- 56 Costa Rica 6,468 tonnes compare
- 57 Kenya 6,275 tonnes compare
More environment data for Myanmar
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.016 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 0.9805 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.243 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.43 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.3823 % 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 -0.7174 % 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 Myanmar?
- Plastic waste exports in Myanmar was 6,543 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 Myanmar?
- The highest recorded value was 39,648 tonnes in 2017.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Myanmar?
- The lowest recorded value was 134.64 tonnes in 2014.
- How does Myanmar rank for plastic waste exports?
- Myanmar ranks 54th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in Myanmar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4,759.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Myanmar 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 — 13 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.