Waste Plastic: Global Exporters & Importers

By Raulin Cadet | Published Feb. 20, 2024 | Updated Feb. 21, 2024 | Topics: USA, Waste, Plastic, Germany, Netherlands

The global waste plastic market is a complex and interconnected ecosystem, with countries both exporting and importing significant quantities of plastic waste. This article presents the top ten exporters and the top ten importers of waste plastic.

Definition: The data presented in this article relates to Waste, parings, and scrap of plastics, a category of products classified by the United Nations in the Harmonized System. This category includes several types of waste plastic derived from products such as water bottles, cups, plates, and more.

However, it also ranked as the fourth-largest importer, indicating a circular flow of plastic materials in and out of the country. The Netherlands, the second-largest exporter, is also the largest importer. Thus, in addition to exporting significantly plastic waste, the Netherlands also imports a substantial quantity for processing and recycling. The United States, the third-largest exporter, ranked as the second-largest importer. The United States imports waste plastic, indicating a reliance on imported materials for its recycling industry.

Actually, five of the top ten exporters of waste plastic are also among the top importers: Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Belgium, and Italy. This interconnectedness highlights the global nature of the waste plastic market, where countries both contribute to and depend on each other for the management and recycling of plastic waste.