Share of plastic waste exports in Denmark
Denmark: Share of plastic waste exports was 2.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of plastic waste exports in Denmark, 1989–2024
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 Denmark is 2.7%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 74.4% on the previous year and up 360.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of plastic waste exports in Denmark peaked at 3.9% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2020.
That places Denmark 9th out of 162 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of plastic waste exports in Denmark, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 3.9% | — |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -91.3% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -28.9% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | +51.1% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 0.5% | +25.1% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -17.0% |
| 2010 | 3.2% | +730.9% |
| 2011 | 0.5% | -83.2% |
| 2012 | 0.6% | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 0.6% | +8.2% |
| 2015 | 0.5% | -8.4% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 0.8% | +41.6% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | +33.1% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | — |
| 2022 | 2.0% | — |
| 2023 | 1.6% | -23.3% |
| 2024 | 2.7% | +74.4% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 2.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1%, 19.1× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 2.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.2%, 11.3× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of plastic waste exports in Denmark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +730.9% | 0.4% | 3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 3 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.3% | 0.0% | 2.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More environment data for Denmark
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.66 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.67 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.696 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.29 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.75 % 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 0.0189 % 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 share of plastic waste exports in Denmark?
- Share of plastic waste exports in Denmark was 2.7% 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 Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 3.9% in 1989.
- What is the lowest share of plastic waste exports recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2020.
- How does Denmark rank for share of plastic waste exports?
- Denmark ranks 9th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of plastic waste exports rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 360.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Denmark 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
Percentage of global plastic waste exports that a country accounts for.