BERLIN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Germany exported around one million tons of plastic waste to other countries and regions in 2020, a decline by 33 percent compared with ten years ago, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said on Wednesday.
With 17 percent, large parts of Germany's plastic waste were exported to Malaysia, according to Destatis. Malaysia had been the largest buyer of plastic waste from Germany in terms of volume since 2018.
"Many goods are packaged in plastic in Germany. The waste generated is recycled, disposed in landfills, burned or leaves the country in the form of trading goods," Destatis noted.
In the years before, the largest amounts of plastic waste exported from Germany had been destined for China. According to Destatis, the highest level of Germany's plastic waste exports was reached in 2012.
Germany is also importing plastic waste. According to Destatis, most of the plastic waste imported into Germany in 2020 came from the Netherlands. Enditem
