Share of global plastic waste imports in Australia
Australia: Share of global plastic waste imports was 0.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Australia, 1988–2024
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 global plastic waste imports in Australia stood at 0.2%.
The figure is up 6.1% on the previous year and up 112.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Australia peaked at 1.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2019.
Australia ranks 37th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More environment data for Australia
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 591.45 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 21.75 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 84.7 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.4769 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 43.21 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.1578 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 144.58 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.104 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.1978 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 15.7 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of global plastic waste imports in Australia?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Australia was 0.2% 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 global plastic waste imports recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5% in 1990.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2019.
- How does Australia rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Australia ranks 37th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 112.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia 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 global plastic waste imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The percentage of global plastic waste imports that a country accounts for.