Germany and the United Kingdom were the world's largest exporters of plastic waste in 2025, according to a recent report [1].

These findings highlight a systemic reliance on overseas shipping to manage domestic refuse, often shifting the environmental burden to developing nations. The practice persists despite international efforts to curb plastic pollution and improve local recycling infrastructure.

Data published on April 30, 2026, reveals that Germany exported 810,000 tonnes of plastic waste during 2025 [1]. The United Kingdom followed as the second-largest exporter, shipping 675,000 tonnes of plastic waste in the same period [1].

The report, produced by Watershed Investigations and the Basel Action Network, identified Turkey, Malaysia, and Indonesia as primary destinations for these materials [1, 2]. The investigators said that profit motives and domestic waste-management challenges drive these exports [2].

Critics of the current system argue that the reliance on foreign processing prevents the development of domestic circular economies. In the case of the UK, a separate analysis suggests that ending these exports could create 5,400 jobs [3].

The movement of plastic waste across borders often results in contamination and illegal dumping in receiving countries. By exporting the material, wealthy nations can report higher recycling rates without actually processing the plastic within their own borders, a loophole that complicates global environmental targets.

“Germany exported 810,000 tonnes of plastic waste in 2025”

The data underscores a gap between the environmental policies of G7 nations and their actual waste management practices. By exporting hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic to countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, Germany and the UK maintain a facade of sustainability while outsourcing the ecological damage of plastic degradation to regions with less stringent regulatory oversight.