Figures refer to treatment shares without accounting for recycling residues and litter-clean up.
Values for a country or region may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
Citation formats
Global plastic waste management methods 2019, by select country
Plastic waste management varies greatly by country and region. For example, the United States landfilled roughly ** percent of its plastic waste in 2019, while just **** percent was collected for recycling. This is below the global average recycling rate of ** percent. In comparison, OECD EU countries, China, India, and OECD Asian countries (Japan and South Korea) had above-average recycling rates in 2019.
Developing countries are also more likely to mismanage and litter a larger share of plastic waste than developed regions. India, for example, mismanaged and littered ** percent of its plastic waste in 2019, compared to **** percent in OECD EU countries.
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OECD. (June 3, 2022). Distribution of plastic waste management worldwide in 2019, by select region and country [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 28, 2026, from /statistics/1358416/global-plastic-waste-management-share-by-region-country/
OECD. "Distribution of plastic waste management worldwide in 2019, by select region and country." Chart. June 3, 2022. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 28, 2026. /statistics/1358416/global-plastic-waste-management-share-by-region-country/
OECD. (2022). Distribution of plastic waste management worldwide in 2019, by select region and country. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 28, 2026. /statistics/1358416/global-plastic-waste-management-share-by-region-country/
OECD. "Distribution of Plastic Waste Management Worldwide in 2019, by Select Region and Country." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 3 Jun 2022, /statistics/1358416/global-plastic-waste-management-share-by-region-country/
OECD, Distribution of plastic waste management worldwide in 2019, by select region and country ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1358416/global-plastic-waste-management-share-by-region-country/ (last visited July 28, 2026)
Distribution of plastic waste management worldwide in 2019, by select region and country [Graph], OECD, June 3, 2022. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1358416/global-plastic-waste-management-share-by-region-country/
