In 2023, Germany's plastics waste exports outside the EU27 stood at approximately 355 thousand metric tons. The forecast for 2024 predicts a decline to 285.5 thousand metric tons, showing a noticeable downward trend in exports. This trend is projected to continue over the next four years, with a year-on-year decline from 2024 to 2025 by 24.6%, 2025 to 2026 by 32.3%, 2026 to 2027 by 47.2%, and from 2027 to 2028 by 88.5%. The five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) displays a significant annual decrease of about 52.2%.
Future trends to watch involve regulatory changes in both the EU and destination countries, which may further impact plastics waste exports. The shift towards a circular economy and increased recycling capabilities could further drive this decline, potentially paving the way for an improved domestic processing of waste.
