EU recyclable raw materials: exports grow, imports decline

According to figures of Eurostat, the EU statistical office, in 2023 exports of recyclable raw materials from the EU to non-EU countries amounted to 39.3 million tonnes. Export volume in recyclable raw materials has been on an upward trend since 2004, increasing by 74% (+16.7 million tonnes). Meanwhile, imports of recyclable raw materials from non-EU countries into the EU amounted to 39.8 million tonnes in 2023, a decrease of 3.8 million tonnes compared with 2004 (-8.6%).

The time series from 2004 to 2024 shows an increase in exports and an almost constant decrease in imports. In terms of individual materials, plastics rank sixth in terms of both exports and imports. Turkey was the largest destination for EU exports of recyclable raw materials in 2023, with a volume of 12.2 million tonnes. The second-largest destination was India (5.2 million tonnes), followed by the United Kingdom (3.5 million tonnes), Egypt (1.7 million tonnes) and Indonesia (1.5 million tonnes). EU imports of recyclable raw materials in 2023 were predominantly from Brazil (9.7 million tonnes), Argentina (4.5 million tonnes), the United Kingdom (3.5 million tonnes), Ukraine (2.5 million tonnes) and the United States (2.5 million tonnes).