* Figures are based on world's top 21 exporting countries and regions.
Not all values for each country are available. Below we provide the more detailed timeline for the data, if available:
Malaysia: 20,000 tons per month - beginning of 2017; 35,000 tons per month - August 2018.
Taiwan: 10,000 tons per month - mid-2017.
Thailand: 75,000 tons per month - early 2018; below 10,000 tons per month - July 2018.
Vietnam: 100,000 tons per month - mid-2017; 7,500 tons per month - mid-2018.
Indonesia: 10,000 tons per month - late-2017.
South Korea: 5,000 tons per month - late-2017.
Turkey: 4,000 tons per month - early-2016.
Citation formats
Volume of global plastic waste import by select country 2016-2018
This statistic displays the volume of plastic waste imports worldwide in 2016 to 2018, broken down by select country. In China, plastic imports fell from ** metric tons per month in 2016 to * metric tons in 2018. On December 31, 2017, China put a ban on a large portion of the plastic waste that foreign countries sent to the country for disposal.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ can support your business.
Greenpeace. (April 23, 2019). Import volume of plastic waste worldwide from 2016 to 2018, by select country (in 1,000 metric tons per month)* [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 23, 2026, from /statistics/1029954/global-import-volume-plastic-waste-by-country/
Greenpeace. "Import volume of plastic waste worldwide from 2016 to 2018, by select country (in 1,000 metric tons per month)*." Chart. April 23, 2019. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 23, 2026. /statistics/1029954/global-import-volume-plastic-waste-by-country/
Greenpeace. (2019). Import volume of plastic waste worldwide from 2016 to 2018, by select country (in 1,000 metric tons per month)*. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 23, 2026. /statistics/1029954/global-import-volume-plastic-waste-by-country/
Greenpeace. "Import Volume of Plastic Waste Worldwide from 2016 to 2018, by Select Country (in 1,000 Metric Tons per Month)*." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 23 Apr 2019, /statistics/1029954/global-import-volume-plastic-waste-by-country/
Greenpeace, Import volume of plastic waste worldwide from 2016 to 2018, by select country (in 1,000 metric tons per month)* ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1029954/global-import-volume-plastic-waste-by-country/ (last visited July 23, 2026)
Import volume of plastic waste worldwide from 2016 to 2018, by select country (in 1,000 metric tons per month)* [Graph], Greenpeace, April 23, 2019. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1029954/global-import-volume-plastic-waste-by-country/
