Assessment of European Union Export Patterns for Plastic Waste before and after China’s Waste Import Ban

Unsustainable production and consumption of plastics is leading to the generation of large quantities of plastic waste, representing a challenge for waste management systems. The bulk of plastic waste is received by countries with less advanced technologies and infrastructure, and ends up in landfills, incinerated, or leaking to the environment. Before 2018, the European Union (EU) was highly dependent on exporting plastic waste to China, which accepted more than 50 % of its exports. However, China's ban on plastic waste imports, which came into force in 2018, has disrupted this established pattern profoundly. This study analyses the development of the EU’s exports of plastic waste from 2000 to 2022, considering different types of plastics, polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and others. The results show that, after China’s waste import ban, total exports of plastic waste fell by around 56 %, with Southeast Asia (44 %) and Turkey (31 %) emerging as new destinations for plastic waste exports. The findings of the study provide insights into understanding the dynamics of the EU’s plastic waste export amidst an evolving regulatory landscape and improvements of waste managements.