Share of global plastic waste imports in Italy
Italy: Share of global plastic waste imports was 4.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Italy, 1994–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of global plastic waste imports in Italy is 4.2%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 304.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Italy peaked at 5.8% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2008.
That places Italy 9th 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 Italy, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 5.7% | — |
| 1995 | 4.7% | -17.3% |
| 1996 | 5.8% | +22.6% |
| 1997 | 4.3% | -25.1% |
| 1998 | 3.6% | -17.4% |
| 1999 | 2.5% | -29.3% |
| 2000 | 2.2% | -11.1% |
| 2001 | 2.1% | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | -6.8% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 1.7% | -11.9% |
| 2005 | 1.5% | -12.5% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 1.4% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | — |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +11.4% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | +15.7% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | — |
| 2019 | 2.5% | — |
| 2020 | 2.5% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | +13.6% |
| 2022 | 3.3% | +16.7% |
| 2023 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | — |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 4.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0%, 226.7× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- Italy's 4.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1%, 34.5× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of global plastic waste imports in Italy 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | -100.0% | 1.4% | 0.0% |
| 2017 | -100.0% | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| 2023 | -100.0% | 3.3% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.4% | 2.5% | 5.8% | 6 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | 0.0% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.0% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.6% | 0.0% | 4.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More environment data for Italy
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.04 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.47 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.324 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.94 % 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 -0.2257 % 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 Italy?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Italy was 4.2% 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 5.8% in 1996.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2008.
- How does Italy rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Italy ranks 9th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 304.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Italy 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.