Share of plastic waste exports in Portugal
Portugal: Share of plastic waste exports was 1.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of plastic waste exports in Portugal, 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 Portugal is 1.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 27.4% on the previous year and up 266.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of plastic waste exports in Portugal peaked at 1.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1994.
Portugal ranks 15th 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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 1.1% | — |
| 1989 | 1.0% | -7.9% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | -84.9% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | +42.1% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -7.4% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | -19.8% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | +32.4% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | +94.4% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | +9.6% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 0.6% | +45.6% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | -17.0% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | +30.2% |
| 2019 | 0.9% | +31.3% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | +25.0% |
| 2021 | 1.3% | +16.3% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | +17.8% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | -16.5% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | +27.4% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 1.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1%, 11.6× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 1.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.2%, 6.9× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 3 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 3 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More environment data for Portugal
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.6043 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.5127 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.44 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.15 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.29 % 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 0.1607 % 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 Portugal?
- Share of plastic waste exports in Portugal was 1.7% 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 1.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of plastic waste exports recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1994.
- How does Portugal rank for share of plastic waste exports?
- Portugal ranks 15th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of plastic waste exports rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 266.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal 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.