Plastic waste exports from the U.S. 2022, by destination
The leading destination for scrap plastic exports from the United States is Canada. In 2022, Canada imported over 145 thousand metric tons of this product. Mexico followed that year, with 85.5 thousand tons of plastic scraps imported. China was once the main export destination for much of the world's plastic scrap, but in 2018 it introduced a ban on the import of such materials. This meant countries such as the U.S. had to look elsewhere. Plastic scrap from developed nations is often collected as recycled waste, then shipped to developing nations who have inadequate waste management infrastructures.