Share of global plastic waste imports in Denmark
Denmark: Share of global plastic waste imports was 2.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Denmark, 1989–2024
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 Denmark stood at 2.0%.
That represents a change of up 27.1% on the previous year and up 964.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Denmark peaked at 3.4% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2009.
That places Denmark 17th 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.
Share of global plastic waste imports in Denmark, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 3.4% | — |
| 1990 | 2.5% | -26.5% |
| 1991 | 1.7% | -33.9% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | -39.0% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -66.3% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -24.5% |
| 1995 | 0.4% | +69.2% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | +44.5% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -18.2% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | -20.6% |
| 2002 | 0.9% | +110.5% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | -32.2% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +8.8% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | -17.3% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -41.0% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -43.3% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | +21.1% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -33.8% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | +48.6% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | +87.9% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -47.3% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | -14.9% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | +18.1% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | +20.8% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | +310.5% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | +43.5% |
| 2020 | 0.5% | -71.0% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | +62.9% |
| 2022 | 2.0% | +153.9% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | -19.9% |
| 2024 | 2.0% | +27.1% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 2.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0%, 107.7× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 2.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1%, 16.4× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of global plastic waste imports in Denmark changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +310.5% | 0.3% | 1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.3% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 0.5% | 2.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More environment data for Denmark
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.66 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.67 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.696 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.29 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.75 % 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 0.0189 % 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 global plastic waste imports in Denmark?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Denmark was 2.0% 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 global plastic waste imports recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 1989.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2009.
- How does Denmark rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Denmark ranks 17th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 964.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Denmark 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
Percentage of global plastic waste imports that a country accounts for.