Plastic waste exports in Tanzania
Tanzania: Plastic waste exports was 22,310 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Tanzania, 1998–2023
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 Tanzania is 22,310 tonnes, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.2% on the previous year and up 40.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Tanzania peaked at 22,310 tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.095 tonnes, in 1998.
That places Tanzania 30th out of 167 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste exports in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 0.095 tonnes | — |
| 1999 | 0.167 tonnes | +75.8% |
| 2000 | 0.964 tonnes | +477.2% |
| 2001 | 15 tonnes | +1456.0% |
| 2003 | 428.07 tonnes | +2753.8% |
| 2004 | 1,121 tonnes | +161.8% |
| 2005 | 1,177 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 2,324 tonnes | +97.5% |
| 2007 | 2,457 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 3,208 tonnes | +30.5% |
| 2009 | 5,051 tonnes | +57.5% |
| 2010 | 4,490 tonnes | -11.1% |
| 2011 | 9,293 tonnes | +107.0% |
| 2012 | 13,693 tonnes | +47.4% |
| 2013 | 15,908 tonnes | +16.2% |
| 2014 | 19,615 tonnes | +23.3% |
| 2015 | 19,035 tonnes | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 14,336 tonnes | -24.7% |
| 2017 | 14,006 tonnes | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 11,511 tonnes | -17.8% |
| 2019 | 17,973 tonnes | +56.1% |
| 2020 | 14,479 tonnes | -19.4% |
| 2021 | 16,735 tonnes | +15.6% |
| 2022 | 19,708 tonnes | +17.8% |
| 2023 | 22,310 tonnes | +13.2% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 22,310 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,451 tonnes, 15.4× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 22,310 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,090 tonnes, 20.5× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Tanzania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +2753.8% | 15 tonnes | 428.07 tonnes |
| 2001 | +1456.0% | 0.964 tonnes | 15 tonnes |
| 2000 | +477.2% | 0.167 tonnes | 0.964 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.131 tonnes | 0.095 tonnes | 0.167 tonnes | 2 |
| 2000s | 1,754 tonnes | 0.964 tonnes | 5,051 tonnes | 9 |
| 2010s | 13,986 tonnes | 4,490 tonnes | 19,615 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 18,308 tonnes | 14,479 tonnes | 22,310 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More environment data for Tanzania
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.06 % 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 5.16 % 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 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste exports in Tanzania?
- Plastic waste exports in Tanzania was 22,310 tonnes in 2023, 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 22,310 tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.095 tonnes in 1998.
- How does Tanzania rank for plastic waste exports?
- Tanzania ranks 30th out of 167 countries with data for 2023.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tanzania 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 — 25 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.