German companies exported significantly less plastic waste in 2021 than before. Last year around 697,000 tons of plastic waste were transported abroad, a third (32 percent) less than in 2020, said the Federal Association of the German Waste Management, Water and Raw Materials Management (BDE). For example, it concerns industrial films, production waste and food packaging. Based on an industry estimate from 2019, around six million tons of separately collected plastic waste is generated in Germany every year.

The export figures for the months January to October come from the Federal Statistical Office, the months November and December are estimates by the BDE. Plastic waste generated in Germany has to be recycled; it is processed into plastic granules or ends up as fuel in power plants. The granulates are used to manufacture new products, such as polyester clothing, garbage bags and street bollards. This can also be done abroad.

BDE boss Peter Kurth sees the decline in export volumes as positive.

It shows that the domestic demand for the raw materials has increased.

The industry representative pointed out, however, that stricter import restrictions from Asian countries and the corona pandemic, including interrupted supply chains, may have played a role.

“2021 was an exceptional year.” The decline is so clear that a trend can be derived from it, especially since the export volume had already fallen last year, according to Kurth - at that time by nine percent.

German garbage in the wilderness of Malaysia

It is also noteworthy that the turnover made with plastic exports has remained almost the same despite the drop in volume at 259 million euros: the statisticians show only a mini-minus of one percent.

One possible conclusion: overall prices and the quality of the export goods rose.

There were also significant changes to the list of importers.

For years, China was the main customer.

This led to side effects there: the quality of the waste that China imported from all over the world was sometimes low and only partially recycled properly - some remained in the environment as garbage.

Beijing reacted and tightened the import rules for waste a few years ago. The waste streams shifted to other Asian countries, from 2018 Malaysia was the largest importer of German plastic waste. India, Indonesia and Vietnam also received larger quantities. That had consequences. For example, German plastic waste that was illegally dumped in the wilderness of Malaysia caused a stir. It is difficult to determine who is to blame in such cases because the chain of stores with multiple middlemen can be difficult to track.

As a result, other Asian countries also became more restrictive on waste imports.

According to the new statistics, the picture has now changed significantly.

Malaysia slipped from 1st place to 4th place among the largest importers of German plastic waste last year.

The amount shrank from 170,000 tons to 46,000 tons.

Hong Kong, Indonesia and Vietnam fell out of the top 10.

The Netherlands is the new front runner with a plastic import volume from Germany of 136,000 tons last year, 12 percent less than in 2020.