Share of global plastic waste imports in Germany
Germany: Share of global plastic waste imports was 10.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Germany, 1991–2024
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 Germany stood at 10.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 227.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Germany peaked at 14.2% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2020.
That places Germany 3rd 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 Germany, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 14.2% | — |
| 1992 | 5.4% | -62.3% |
| 1993 | 2.3% | -56.4% |
| 1994 | 1.7% | -27.4% |
| 1995 | 1.8% | +6.1% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | +9.5% |
| 1997 | 2.0% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 2.1% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 1.3% | -35.9% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | +9.9% |
| 2001 | 1.6% | +9.8% |
| 2002 | 1.9% | +16.3% |
| 2003 | 1.8% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 1.7% | -6.4% |
| 2005 | 1.9% | +9.1% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | -9.4% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | +14.0% |
| 2009 | 2.1% | +8.7% |
| 2010 | 2.0% | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 2.0% | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | +35.2% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | +8.1% |
| 2014 | 3.3% | +15.0% |
| 2015 | 3.7% | +11.1% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 4.0% | +14.6% |
| 2018 | 6.4% | +59.9% |
| 2019 | 9.0% | +40.4% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2021 | 9.1% | — |
| 2022 | 9.5% | +4.8% |
| 2023 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2024 | 10.8% | — |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 10.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0%, 575.5× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Germany's 10.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1%, 87.4× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of global plastic waste imports in Germany 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -100.0% | 9.0% | 0.0% |
| 2023 | -100.0% | 9.5% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.7% | 1.3% | 14.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.9% | 2.0% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.9% | 0.0% | 10.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More environment data for Germany
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.613 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.11 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.65 % 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 -0.0079 % 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 Germany?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Germany was 10.8% 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 14.2% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2020.
- How does Germany rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Germany ranks 3rd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 227.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Germany 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.