Share of plastic waste exports from the UK 2023, by destination country
Turkey was the United Kingdom's main destination for plastic waste exports in 2023, receiving 22.9 percent of total shipments. Tied in second place were Belgium and the Netherlands, each accounting for some 19 percent of the UK's plastic waste exports.
Until recently, developing countries were the main export destination for UK plastic waste, but export bans to China and changes to the Basel Convention have seen shipments to non-OECD countries drop significantly.
