Share of global plastic waste imports in Laos
Laos: Share of global plastic waste imports was 0.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Laos, 2010–2023
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Laos recorded 0.5% for share of global plastic waste imports in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.5% on the previous year and up 4,397.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Laos peaked at 1.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2012.
Laos ranks 28th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of global plastic waste imports in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 0.0% | — |
| 2011 | 0.0% | +8.8% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | -56.0% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | +351.4% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | -21.7% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 0.0% | -15.0% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | +325.9% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | +255.9% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | +1565.4% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -37.0% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | -65.6% |
| 2023 | 0.5% | +21.5% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 0.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.0%, 79.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Laos's 0.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0%, 155.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of global plastic waste imports in Laos 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +1565.4% | 0.1% | 1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.0% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7% | 0.4% | 1.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More environment data for Laos
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.77 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9142 % 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 0.4183 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of global plastic waste imports in Laos?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Laos was 0.5% 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 1.8% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2012.
- How does Laos rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Laos ranks 28th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4,397.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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.