Share of global plastic waste imports in Belgium
Belgium: Share of global plastic waste imports was 7.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Belgium, 1999–2024
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 Belgium stood at 7.3%. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 484.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Belgium peaked at 7.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2021.
That places Belgium 5th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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 | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 1.5% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.8% | 1.0% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | 0.0% | 7.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More environment data for Belgium
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 107.82 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 9.09 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 6.62 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.2815 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 2.68 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0377 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 11.74 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0561 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0383 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 1.98 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of global plastic waste imports in Belgium?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Belgium was 7.3% 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 global plastic waste imports recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 7.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2021.
- How does Belgium rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Belgium ranks 5th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 484.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium 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.
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About this data
The percentage of global plastic waste imports that a country accounts for.