Plastic waste exports in Tunisia
Tunisia: Plastic waste exports was 42,528 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Tunisia, 1991–2023
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Tunisia recorded 42,528 tonnes for plastic waste exports in 2023. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.5% on the previous year and up 41.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Tunisia peaked at 42,528 tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 7.94 tonnes, in 1991.
Tunisia ranks 20th 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 Tunisia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.94 tonnes | — |
| 1994 | 174.73 tonnes | +2101.5% |
| 1995 | 211.97 tonnes | +21.3% |
| 1996 | 885.81 tonnes | +317.9% |
| 1997 | 142.23 tonnes | -83.9% |
| 1998 | 87.34 tonnes | -38.6% |
| 1999 | 155.36 tonnes | +77.9% |
| 2000 | 54.22 tonnes | -65.1% |
| 2001 | 353.76 tonnes | +552.4% |
| 2002 | 335.71 tonnes | -5.1% |
| 2003 | 1,730 tonnes | +415.3% |
| 2004 | 1,843 tonnes | +6.5% |
| 2005 | 2,831 tonnes | +53.6% |
| 2006 | 6,050 tonnes | +113.7% |
| 2007 | 10,373 tonnes | +71.5% |
| 2008 | 7,252 tonnes | -30.1% |
| 2009 | 9,323 tonnes | +28.6% |
| 2010 | 12,213 tonnes | +31.0% |
| 2011 | 14,761 tonnes | +20.9% |
| 2012 | 18,076 tonnes | +22.5% |
| 2013 | 30,166 tonnes | +66.9% |
| 2014 | 39,311 tonnes | +30.3% |
| 2015 | 30,664 tonnes | -22.0% |
| 2016 | 29,133 tonnes | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 29,659 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 24,099 tonnes | -18.7% |
| 2019 | 25,308 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 26,384 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 37,453 tonnes | +42.0% |
| 2022 | 38,826 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 42,528 tonnes | +9.5% |
Tunisia compared with similar countries
- Tunisia's 42,528 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,451 tonnes, 29.3× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Tunisia's 42,528 tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2,459 tonnes, 17.3× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Tunisia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +2101.5% | 7.94 tonnes | 174.73 tonnes |
| 2001 | +552.4% | 54.22 tonnes | 353.76 tonnes |
| 2003 | +415.3% | 335.71 tonnes | 1,730 tonnes |
| 1996 | +317.9% | 211.97 tonnes | 885.81 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 237.91 tonnes | 7.94 tonnes | 885.81 tonnes | 7 |
| 2000s | 4,015 tonnes | 54.22 tonnes | 10,373 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,339 tonnes | 12,213 tonnes | 39,311 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 36,298 tonnes | 26,384 tonnes | 42,528 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Tunisia
More environment data for Tunisia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -14.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.62 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.421 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.02 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.34 % 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 -0.2204 % 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 Tunisia?
- Plastic waste exports in Tunisia was 42,528 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 Tunisia?
- The highest recorded value was 42,528 tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Tunisia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.94 tonnes in 1991.
- How does Tunisia rank for plastic waste exports?
- Tunisia ranks 20th out of 167 countries with data for 2023.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in Tunisia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tunisia 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 — 31 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.