Plastic waste exports in Netherlands
Netherlands: Plastic waste exports was 557,595 tonnes in 2024. ▲ Rising
Plastic waste exports in Netherlands, 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
The most recent figure for plastic waste exports in Netherlands is 557,595 tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.6% on the previous year and up 43.8% over five years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Netherlands peaked at 675,919 tonnes in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 2014.
Netherlands ranks 2nd of 167 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Plastic waste exports in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 168,649 tonnes | — |
| 1993 | 203,520 tonnes | +20.7% |
| 1994 | 234,830 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1995 | 152,358 tonnes | -35.1% |
| 1996 | 133,469 tonnes | -12.4% |
| 1997 | 151,925 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 1998 | 168,760 tonnes | +11.1% |
| 1999 | 234,582 tonnes | +39.0% |
| 2000 | 258,862 tonnes | +10.4% |
| 2001 | 266,582 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 252,341 tonnes | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 300,799 tonnes | +19.2% |
| 2004 | 316,503 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 359,581 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 2006 | 438,753 tonnes | +22.0% |
| 2007 | 412,010 tonnes | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 357,819 tonnes | -13.2% |
| 2009 | 245,322 tonnes | -31.4% |
| 2010 | 361,137 tonnes | +47.2% |
| 2011 | 381,176 tonnes | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 426,062 tonnes | +11.8% |
| 2013 | 456,856 tonnes | +7.2% |
| 2014 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2015 | 505,243 tonnes | — |
| 2016 | 490,248 tonnes | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 383,447 tonnes | -21.8% |
| 2018 | 341,791 tonnes | -10.9% |
| 2019 | 387,816 tonnes | +13.5% |
| 2020 | 413,233 tonnes | +6.6% |
| 2021 | 617,311 tonnes | +49.4% |
| 2022 | 675,919 tonnes | +9.5% |
| 2023 | 527,963 tonnes | -21.9% |
| 2024 | 557,595 tonnes | +5.6% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 557,595 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,588 tonnes, 121.5× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 557,595 tonnes is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7,198 tonnes, 77.5× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Netherlands 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | -100.0% | 456,856 tonnes | 0 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 181,012 tonnes | 133,469 tonnes | 234,830 tonnes | 8 |
| 2000s | 320,857 tonnes | 245,322 tonnes | 438,753 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 373,378 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 505,243 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 558,404 tonnes | 413,233 tonnes | 675,919 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More environment data for Netherlands
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3 % 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 -0.1867 % 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 -0.2541 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) -6.03 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste exports in Netherlands?
- Plastic waste exports in Netherlands was 557,595 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 Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 675,919 tonnes in 2022.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 2014.
- How does Netherlands rank for plastic waste exports?
- Netherlands ranks 2nd out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Netherlands 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.