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A new study by Compare the Market AU has identified the countries that produce the most plastic waste, both in total and per person. The findings for 2023 are based on a re-evaluation of data from the 2021 Skyline of Waste report.
The research used the weights of five famous landmarks - the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Christ the Redeemer, Empire State Building, and Sydney Opera House - to illustrate how much plastic waste each location produces.
China tops the list, generating 25.4 billion kg of plastic waste annually, which is equivalent to 7.59 Eiffel Towers or 340.93 Statue of Liberties.
The US is not far behind, producing 17.2 billion kg of plastic waste per year, which equates to 230.68 Statue of Liberties or 5.14 Eiffel Towers.
Top 10 countries with biggest plastic waste generators
| Rank | Location | Population | Total waste (kg) | Total waste per capita (kg) | Number of Statue of Liberty equivalence per day | Number of Eiffel Tower equivalence per day |
| 1 | China | 1.426bn | 25.4bn | 17.82 | 340.93 | 7.59 |
| 2 | United States | 339.9m | 17.2bn | 50.59 | 230.86 | 5.14 |
| 3 | India | 1.429bn | 5.6bn | 3.92 | 75.17 | 1.67 |
| 4 | Japan | 123.3m | 4.7bn | 38.12 | 63.08 | 1.41 |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 67.7m | 2.9bn | 42.81 | 38.92 | 0.87 |
| 6 | Brazil | 216.4m | 2.8bn | 12.94 | 37.58 | 0.84 |
| 7 | South Korea | 51.78m | 2.3bn | 44.42 | 30.87 | 0.69 |
| 8 | France | 64.75m | 2.3bn | 35.52 | 30.87 | 0.69 |
| 9 | Indonesia | 277.5m | 2.3bn | 8.29 | 30.87 | 0.69 |
| 10 | Mexico | 128.4m | 2.2bn | 17.13 | 29.53 | 0.66 |
China’s daily waste equals multiple landmarks
China leads the pack, generating a staggering 25.4 billion kg of plastic waste annually. With a population of over 1.4 billion, China produces enough single-use waste each day to equate to 7.59 Eiffel Towers, 66.99 Christ the Redeemers, and 0.09 Sydney Opera Houses.
The USA follows closely, with its population of nearly 340 million people producing 17.2 billion kg of plastic waste per year. This amount of waste could create 21.4 Sydney Opera Houses, 51.9 Empire State Buildings, and an astonishing 84,265.4 Statue of Liberties over the course of a year.
Rounding out the top five are India, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Despite having the world’s largest population, India’s per capita plastic waste production is relatively low at 3.92 kg. However, the country still generates enough waste each day to recreate 167% of the Eiffel Tower, 1,477% of Christ the Redeemer, and 7,517% of the Statue of Liberty.
Top 10 list based on plastic waste generation per capita
| Rank | Location | Population | Total waste (kg) | Total waste per capita (kg) | Number of Statue of Liberty equivalence per day | Number of Eiffel Tower equivalence per day |
| 1 | Singapore | 6.02m | 400m | 66.50 | 5.37 | 0.12 |
| 2 | Oman | 4.64m | 300m | 64.59 | 4.03 | 0.09 |
| 3 | Australia | 26.44m | 1.5bn | 56.73 | 20.13 | 0.45 |
| 4 | Hong Kong | 7.49m | 400m | 53.39 | 5.37 | 0.12 |
| 5 | United Arab Emirates | 9.52m | 500m | 52.53 | 6.71 | 0.15 |
| 6 | Belgium | 11.69m | 600m | 51.34 | 8.05 | 0.18 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 17.62m | 900m | 51.08 | 12.08 | 0.27 |
| 8 | United States | 340.00m | 17.2bn | 50.58 | 230.86 | 5.14 |
| 9 | Slovenia | 2.12m | 100m | 47.17 | 1.34 | 0.03 |
| 10 | Kuwait | 4.31m | 200m | 46.40 | 2.68 | 0.06 |
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