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To which countries does the U.S. export plastic waste?

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Until 2018, when China banned all plastic scrap shipments, the U.S. sent the majority of its plastic waste to that country. American companies then started shipping waste to Malaysia and Indonesia instead. However, in July 2025, Malaysia banned all plastic waste shipments from the U.S., claiming that exporters were dumping plastics and polluting the country.