Share of global plastic waste imports in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of global plastic waste imports was 0.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in Sri Lanka, 1990–2024
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 Sri Lanka stood at 0.1%.
The figure is up 41.5% on the previous year and up 343.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in Sri Lanka peaked at 0.2% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
Sri Lanka ranks 47th of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of global plastic waste imports in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1991 | 0.2% | — |
| 1992 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | — |
| 1994 | 0.0% | -63.3% |
| 1999 | 0.0% | -18.6% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | +15.7% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | +21.2% |
| 2002 | 0.0% | +76.6% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | +103.6% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | +14.8% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | +67.1% |
| 2006 | 0.0% | -65.7% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | +75.2% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | -14.5% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | +9.8% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | -42.0% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | +133.4% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 0.0% | -29.3% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | +126.7% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | +111.4% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -9.4% |
| 2021 | 0.1% | +35.8% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | -18.2% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | -7.1% |
| 2024 | 0.1% | +41.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 0.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0%, 30.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 0.1% is above the median for South Asia, which is 0.0%, 3.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 6 |
| 2000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 9 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More environment data for Sri Lanka
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 5.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.207 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.849 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 5.63 % 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 1.22 % 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 Sri Lanka?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in Sri Lanka was 0.1% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- Sri Lanka ranks 47th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 343.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.