Plastic waste exports in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Plastic waste exports was 0 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in United Kingdom, 1993–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 0 tonnes for plastic waste exports in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 32 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in United Kingdom peaked at 880,577 tonnes in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 2019.
United Kingdom 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 30,563 tonnes | 22,321 tonnes | 47,365 tonnes | 7 |
| 2000s | 350,691 tonnes | 82,218 tonnes | 711,223 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 685,806 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 880,577 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 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 Romania 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 States 0 tonnes compare
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 386.7 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 5.58 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 31.55 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.7351 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 3.35 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.078 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 58.88 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.3113 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.1931 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 22.62 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste exports in United Kingdom?
- Plastic waste exports in United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 880,577 tonnes in 2011.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 2019.
- How does United Kingdom rank for plastic waste exports?
- United Kingdom ranks 144th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 — 32 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The amount of plastic waste a country exports to other countries, measured in tonnes per year.