Share of plastic waste exports in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Share of plastic waste exports was 0.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of plastic waste exports in Costa Rica, 1994–2023
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, share of plastic waste exports in Costa Rica stood at 0.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.8% on the previous year and up 86.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of plastic waste exports in Costa Rica peaked at 0.4% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1994.
Costa Rica ranks 57th of 162 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 3 |
| 2000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 54 North Macedonia 0.2% compare
- 55 Mauritania 0.2% compare
- 56 Tajikistan 0.1% compare
- 58 Panama 0.1% compare
- 59 Malta 0.1% compare
- 60 Kenya 0.1% compare
More environment data for Costa Rica
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 17.08 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 3.33 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 4.38 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.0273 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 0.0074 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0131 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 6.38 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0006 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0288 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 1.92 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of plastic waste exports in Costa Rica?
- Share of plastic waste exports in Costa Rica was 0.1% in 2023, 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of plastic waste exports recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1994.
- How does Costa Rica rank for share of plastic waste exports?
- Costa Rica ranks 57th out of 162 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of plastic waste exports rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 86.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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.