Share of plastic waste exports in Australia
Australia: Share of plastic waste exports was 0.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of plastic waste exports in Australia, 1988–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of plastic waste exports in Australia is 0.9%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 39.2% on the previous year and down 34.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of plastic waste exports in Australia peaked at 2.2% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2019.
Australia ranks 23rd of 162 countries on this measure, in the top 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 3 |
| 2000s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 0.0% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 0.0% | 2.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 20 Dominican Republic 1.0% compare
- 21 Indonesia 0.9% compare
- 22 Tunisia 0.9% compare
- 24 New Zealand 0.8% compare
- 25 Saudi Arabia 0.8% compare
- 26 Finland 0.8% compare
More environment data for Australia
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 591.45 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 21.75 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 84.7 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.4769 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 43.21 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.1578 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 144.58 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.104 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.1978 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 15.7 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of plastic waste exports in Australia?
- Share of plastic waste exports in Australia was 0.9% in 2024, according to United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of plastic waste exports recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.2% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of plastic waste exports recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2019.
- How does Australia rank for share of plastic waste exports?
- Australia ranks 23rd out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of plastic waste exports rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of plastic waste exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of global plastic waste exports that a country accounts for.