Volume of plastic waste exported by the UK 2000-2021, by destination

China was the main export destination for the United Kingdom's plastic waste up until 2017, with shipments peaking in 2011 at 311,947 metric tons. Exports to China have plummeted since 2018 following the country's ban on several types of foreign waste imports, including plastic. As a result of the ban, the UK began sending waste to other countries such as Turkey - which is now the largest destination for UK plastic waste exports. The Netherlands has also emerged as a leading export market for UK plastic waste, while shipments to developing countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia have all reduced. In 2019, Malaysia returned 42 containers of illegal plastic waste to the UK.