Share of global plastic waste imports in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of global plastic waste imports was 0.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of global plastic waste imports in United Kingdom, 1993–2024
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 United Kingdom stood at 0.0%. That is the lowest value across all 32 years on record.
That represents a change of down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global plastic waste imports in United Kingdom peaked at 2.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2020.
That places United Kingdom 168th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.7% | 7 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | 0.3% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 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 Spain 0.0% compare
- 168 Switzerland 0.0% compare
- 168 United States 0.0% compare
- 168 Uzbekistan 0.0% compare
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 386.7 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 5.58 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 31.55 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.7351 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 3.35 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.078 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 58.88 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.3113 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.1931 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 22.62 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of global plastic waste imports in United Kingdom?
- Share of global plastic waste imports in United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 2.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of global plastic waste imports recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2020.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of global plastic waste imports?
- United Kingdom ranks 168th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of global plastic waste imports rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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
The percentage of global plastic waste imports that a country accounts for.