Share of plastic waste exports in Spain
Spain: Share of plastic waste exports was 0.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of plastic waste exports in Spain, 1989–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Spain recorded 0.0% for share of plastic waste exports in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of down 100.0% on the previous year and down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of plastic waste exports in Spain peaked at 4.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2001.
That places Spain 139th out of 162 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of plastic waste exports in Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 3.2% | — |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -88.3% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -32.9% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | +120.4% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | — |
| 2007 | 0.9% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | +57.9% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2012 | 1.6% | — |
| 2013 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | — |
| 2015 | 2.4% | -6.8% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | +17.3% |
| 2017 | 3.0% | +7.6% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -25.8% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | -29.6% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | — |
| 2022 | 0.0% | — |
| 2023 | 4.9% | — |
| 2024 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 0.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.1%. (63 countries reporting)
- Spain's 0.0% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.2%. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 3 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 0.0% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 0.0% | 4.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Spain
- 136 Brunei 0.0% compare
- 137 Angola 0.0% compare
- 138 East Timor 0.0% compare
- 139 Austria 0.0% compare
- 139 Bahrain 0.0% compare
- 139 Canada 0.0% compare
- 139 Fiji 0.0% compare
- 139 France 0.0% compare
- 139 Germany 0.0% compare
- 139 Ghana 0.0% compare
- 139 Hungary 0.0% compare
- 139 Italy 0.0% compare
- 139 Jordan 0.0% compare
- 139 Kazakhstan 0.0% compare
- 139 Lebanon 0.0% compare
- 139 Malaysia 0.0% compare
- 139 Mexico 0.0% compare
- 139 Oman 0.0% compare
- 139 Qatar 0.0% compare
- 139 Romania 0.0% compare
- 139 Singapore 0.0% compare
- 139 South Korea 0.0% compare
- 139 Thailand 0.0% compare
- 139 United Arab Emirates 0.0% compare
- 139 United Kingdom 0.0% compare
- 139 United States 0.0% compare
More environment data for Spain
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.67 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.4 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.402 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.3 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.4277 % 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 -0.5136 % 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 Spain?
- Share of plastic waste exports in Spain was 0.0% 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 4.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of plastic waste exports recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2001.
- How does Spain rank for share of plastic waste exports?
- Spain ranks 139th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of plastic waste exports rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Spain 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.