Plastic waste exports in Romania
Romania: Plastic waste exports was 0 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Romania, 1991–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2024, plastic waste exports in Romania stood at 0 tonnes. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Romania peaked at 37,206 tonnes in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 2018.
Romania ranks 144th of 167 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste exports in Romania, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 25 tonnes | — |
| 1992 | 108 tonnes | +332.0% |
| 1993 | 40 tonnes | -63.0% |
| 1994 | 73 tonnes | +82.5% |
| 1995 | 151 tonnes | +106.8% |
| 1996 | 147 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 173 tonnes | +17.7% |
| 1998 | 888 tonnes | +413.3% |
| 1999 | 697 tonnes | -21.5% |
| 2000 | 1,655 tonnes | +137.5% |
| 2001 | 1,490 tonnes | -9.9% |
| 2002 | 1,910 tonnes | +28.1% |
| 2003 | 3,397 tonnes | +77.9% |
| 2004 | 6,115 tonnes | +80.0% |
| 2005 | 18,165 tonnes | +197.0% |
| 2006 | 16,779 tonnes | -7.6% |
| 2007 | 13,098 tonnes | -21.9% |
| 2008 | 16,785 tonnes | +28.1% |
| 2009 | 30,913 tonnes | +84.2% |
| 2010 | 30,172 tonnes | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 29,218 tonnes | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 36,901 tonnes | +26.3% |
| 2013 | 32,441 tonnes | -12.1% |
| 2014 | 31,502 tonnes | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 26,035 tonnes | -17.4% |
| 2016 | 24,956 tonnes | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 29,928 tonnes | +19.9% |
| 2018 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2019 | 33,887 tonnes | — |
| 2020 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2021 | 37,006 tonnes | — |
| 2022 | 37,206 tonnes | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2024 | 0 tonnes | — |
Romania compared with similar countries
- Romania's 0 tonnes is below the median for high income countries, which is 4,588 tonnes. (64 countries reporting)
- Romania's 0 tonnes is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7,198 tonnes. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Romania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +413.3% | 173 tonnes | 888 tonnes |
| 1992 | +332.0% | 25 tonnes | 108 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 255.78 tonnes | 25 tonnes | 888 tonnes | 9 |
| 2000s | 11,031 tonnes | 1,490 tonnes | 30,913 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 27,504 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 36,901 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 14,842 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 37,206 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Romania
- 141 Angola 2.03 tonnes compare
- 142 East Timor 1 tonnes compare
- 143 Papua New Guinea 0.828 tonnes compare
- 144 Austria 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Bahrain 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Canada 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Fiji 0 tonnes compare
- 144 France 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Germany 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Ghana 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Hungary 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Italy 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Jordan 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Kazakhstan 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Lebanon 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Malaysia 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Mexico 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Oman 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Qatar 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Singapore 0 tonnes compare
- 144 South Korea 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Spain 0 tonnes compare
- 144 Thailand 0 tonnes compare
- 144 United Arab Emirates 0 tonnes compare
- 144 United Kingdom 0 tonnes compare
- 144 United States 0 tonnes compare
More environment data for Romania
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.68 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.2 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.634 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.03 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.5647 % 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 -0.1112 % 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 Romania?
- Plastic waste exports in Romania was 0 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 Romania?
- The highest recorded value was 37,206 tonnes in 2022.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Romania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 2018.
- How does Romania rank for plastic waste exports?
- Romania ranks 144th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in Romania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Romania 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 — 34 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.