Share of global plastic waste imports in Spain
Spain: Share of global plastic waste imports was 0.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.0%
World rank
168th
of 183 countries
All-time high
9.4%
in 1990
All-time low
0.0%
in 2000
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Share of global plastic waste imports in Spain, 1989–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Spain recorded 0.0% for share of global plastic waste imports in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 100.0% over five years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Spain peaked at 9.4% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2000.
Spain ranks 168th of 183 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of global plastic waste imports in Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 6.5% | — |
| 1990 | 9.4% | +45.3% |
| 1991 | 6.6% | -29.8% |
| 1992 | 2.3% | -65.1% |
| 1993 | 0.8% | -64.8% |
| 1994 | 0.9% | +7.8% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | +18.8% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | +27.9% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -26.0% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | -10.3% |
| 1999 | 0.7% | -16.5% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | — |
| 2002 | 0.7% | — |
| 2003 | 0.7% | -9.8% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | -20.5% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | -20.0% |
| 2006 | 0.4% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | — |
| 2010 | 0.3% | — |
| 2011 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | — |
| 2013 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | — |
| 2015 | 0.6% | — |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -8.0% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | +57.4% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | +137.1% |
| 2019 | 2.9% | +49.9% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0% | — |
| 2022 | 0.0% | — |
| 2023 | 0.0% | — |
| 2024 | 0.0% | — |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 0.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.0%. (68 countries reporting)
- Spain's 0.0% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1%. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 0.7% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | 0.0% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Spain
- 165 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.0% compare
- 166 Greenland 0.0% compare
- 167 Sao Tome and Principe 0.0% compare
- 168 Brazil 0.0% compare
- 168 Bulgaria 0.0% compare
- 168 Ghana 0.0% compare
- 168 Greece 0.0% compare
- 168 Hungary 0.0% compare
- 168 Malawi 0.0% compare
- 168 Mexico 0.0% compare
- 168 Poland 0.0% compare
- 168 Senegal 0.0% compare
- 168 Slovakia 0.0% compare
- 168 South Korea 0.0% compare
- 168 Switzerland 0.0% compare
- 168 United Kingdom 0.0% compare
- 168 United States 0.0% compare
- 168 Uzbekistan 0.0% compare
More environment data for Spain
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.67 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.4 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.402 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.3 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.4277 % 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 -0.5136 % 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 Spain?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Spain was 0.0% 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 9.4% in 1990.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2000.
- How does Spain rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Spain ranks 168th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Spain 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of global plastic waste imports that a country accounts for.