A waste disposal facility near Istanbul, Turkey. The country’s waste infrastructure is already overwhelmed and it is also the largest recipient of European plastic waste. Photograph: Sedat Suna/EPA Germany was the world’s largest exporter of plastic waste in 2025 and sent more than 810,000 tonnes abroad, according to analysis of trade data carried out for the Guardian. The UK followed close behind, according to the analysis by Watershed Investigations and the Basel Action Network.