Share of plastic waste exports in Poland
Poland: Share of plastic waste exports was 4.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of plastic waste exports in Poland, 1994–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of plastic waste exports in Poland stood at 4.3%. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 43.4% on the previous year and up 332.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of plastic waste exports in Poland peaked at 4.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2021.
Poland ranks 4th 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.
Share of plastic waste exports in Poland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 0.3% | — |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -11.6% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -17.7% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | +16.2% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | +64.6% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | +16.0% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | +43.0% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +17.1% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | +24.9% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | 1.7% | +40.3% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | +35.6% |
| 2019 | 2.9% | +26.1% |
| 2020 | 3.3% | +17.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2022 | 4.1% | — |
| 2023 | 3.0% | -25.8% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | +43.4% |
Poland compared with similar countries
- Poland's 4.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1%, 30.3× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Poland's 4.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.2%, 17.9× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 3 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 0.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 0.0% | 4.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Poland
More environment data for Poland
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.777 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.06 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.73 % 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 0.1029 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -4.67 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of plastic waste exports in Poland?
- Share of plastic waste exports in Poland was 4.3% 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 Poland?
- The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of plastic waste exports recorded in Poland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2021.
- How does Poland rank for share of plastic waste exports?
- Poland ranks 4th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of plastic waste exports rising or falling in Poland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 332.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Poland 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.