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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Do ‘recycled’ plastics often end up being shipped as waste to South and Southeast Asia?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

South and Southeast Asian countries became major destinations for plastic waste from developed and developing countries following a 2017 ban on most plastic imports by China, once the world's largest importer. In the first quarter of 2018, U.S. waste exports increased by 165% to India, 300% to Thailand and 330% to Malaysia. U.S. domestic capacity can’t handle all the waste Americans want to recycle, so recyclers seek offshore outlets. Interpol notes that a ”surplus” of waste around the world is leading to both more illegal trade and illegal treatment.

The U.S. was the second-largest exporter of scrap plastic and recovered fiber to India in the first half of 2019 before the country banned plastic imports, effective August 2019. India walked back the ban in January 2021.

Plastic waste exports to Pakistan and Bangladesh have also increased.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Interpol Strategic analysis report: Emerging criminal trends in the global plastic waste market since January 2018
US Environmental Protection Agency The US recycling system
Nature China’s plastic import ban increases prospects of environmental impact mitigation of plastic waste trade flow worldwide
World Bank India plastic or rubber imports by country and region in 2018 — Chart view
Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries India reopens access to recovered polyethylene
Pakistan Today Import of hazardous plastic scrap surges to 65,000 tonnes
The Independent (Bangladesh) Boom in exports of plastic items
International Pollutants Elimination Network Emphasis on ratifying Basel Ban Amendment to stop illegal plastic waste trade
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Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.