Share of global plastic waste imports in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Share of global plastic waste imports was 0.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Costa Rica, 1994–2023
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, share of global plastic waste imports in Costa Rica stood at 0.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 43.0% on the previous year and up 113.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Costa Rica peaked at 0.4% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1994.
Costa Rica ranks 52nd of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 6 |
| 2000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More environment data for Costa Rica
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 17.08 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 3.33 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 4.38 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.0273 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 0.0074 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0131 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 6.38 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0006 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0288 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 1.92 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of global plastic waste imports in Costa Rica?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Costa Rica was 0.1% in 2023, 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4% in 1996.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1994.
- How does Costa Rica rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Costa Rica ranks 52nd out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 113.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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.