Share of plastic waste exports in China
China: Share of plastic waste exports was 2.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of plastic waste exports in China, 1994–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
China recorded 2.0% for share of plastic waste exports in 2024. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of up 6.8% on the previous year and up 543.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of plastic waste exports in China peaked at 2.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2018.
China ranks 14th of 162 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 3 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.0% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 0.0% | 2.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 15,536 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 11.03 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 498.98 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 32.75 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 736.76 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 3.9 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 1,485 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 4.13 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 5.54 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 195.67 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of plastic waste exports in China?
- Share of plastic waste exports in China was 2.0% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 2.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of plastic waste exports recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2018.
- How does China rank for share of plastic waste exports?
- China ranks 14th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of plastic waste exports rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 543.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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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CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The percentage of global plastic waste exports that a country accounts for.