Share of plastic waste exports in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of plastic waste exports was 0.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of plastic waste exports in United Kingdom, 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 United Kingdom stood at 0.0%. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
The figure is down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of plastic waste exports in United Kingdom peaked at 9.1% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2019.
United Kingdom ranks 139th of 162 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
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 | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 3 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 1.9% | 4.6% | 3 |
| 2010s | 5.6% | 0.0% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 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 Spain 0.0% compare
- 139 Thailand 0.0% compare
- 139 United Arab Emirates 0.0% compare
- 139 United States 0.0% compare
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 386.7 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 5.58 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 31.55 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.7351 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 3.35 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.078 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 58.88 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.3113 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.1931 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 22.62 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of plastic waste exports in United Kingdom?
- Share of plastic waste exports in United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 9.1% in 2018.
- What is the lowest share of plastic waste exports recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2019.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of plastic waste exports?
- United Kingdom ranks 139th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of plastic waste exports rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.
Download this data
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About this data
The percentage of global plastic waste exports that a country accounts for.