Mismanaged plastic waste is defined as plastic that is either littered or inadequately disposed. Inadequately disposed waste is not formally managed and includes disposal in dumps or open, uncontrolled landfills, where it is not fully
contained.
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Mismanaged plastic waste shares worldwide 2019, by select country
India and China accounted for the largest shares of global mismanaged plastic waste in 2019, at ** percent and ***percent, respectively. The top 10 countries shown accounted for almost **** of global mismanaged plastic waste that year. The region that generates the most mismanaged plastic waste is Asia, accounting for ** percent of the global total.
Although many developing countries lack the infrastructures to properly manage plastic waste, wealthy countries still export their plastic waste to them. Turkey, for example, accounts for roughly *** percent of global mismanaged plastic waste, yet received roughly ** metric tons of plastic waste exports from the European Union in 2020.
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OWID. (April 1, 2022). Distribution of mismanaged plastic waste worldwide in 2019, by select country [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 29, 2026, from /statistics/1270965/mismanaged-plastic-waste-worldwide-by-country/
OWID. "Distribution of mismanaged plastic waste worldwide in 2019, by select country." Chart. April 1, 2022. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 29, 2026. /statistics/1270965/mismanaged-plastic-waste-worldwide-by-country/
OWID. (2022). Distribution of mismanaged plastic waste worldwide in 2019, by select country. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 29, 2026. /statistics/1270965/mismanaged-plastic-waste-worldwide-by-country/
OWID. "Distribution of Mismanaged Plastic Waste Worldwide in 2019, by Select Country." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 1 Apr 2022, /statistics/1270965/mismanaged-plastic-waste-worldwide-by-country/
OWID, Distribution of mismanaged plastic waste worldwide in 2019, by select country ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1270965/mismanaged-plastic-waste-worldwide-by-country/ (last visited July 29, 2026)
Distribution of mismanaged plastic waste worldwide in 2019, by select country [Graph], OWID, April 1, 2022. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1270965/mismanaged-plastic-waste-worldwide-by-country/
