Waste, parings and scrap, of plastics: South Korea exports and imports
HS 3915 · 플라스틱의 웨이스트(waste)ㆍ페어링(paring)ㆍ스크랩(scrap) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $1.9 million of waste, parings and scrap, of plastics (HS 3915), up 12.1% from September 2026 and up 22.9% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of waste, parings and scrap, of plastics (HS 3915) totalled $16.6 million, up 9.9% from the 12 months before ($15.1 million).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was Vietnam ($13.4 million, 80.8% of the total), followed by Malaysia and Australia.
That was 0.0% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 39 (plastics and articles thereof) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $674,613 (down 24.3% from October 2025), leaving a surplus of $1.2 million for the month.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 3915
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3915.10 | Of polymers of ethylene | $15.7M | 94.5% | +12.6% | $1.8M |
| 3915.10.1000 | Film, sheets, plates and foil before they became wastes | $539K | 3.4% | +114.2% | $223K |
| 3915.10.2000 | Pipes and hoses before they became wastes | $10K | 0.1% | – | $327 |
| 3915.10.3000 | Plastic insulated wires before they became wastes | $188 | 0.0% | – | $188 |
| 3915.10.4000 | Other, of polyethylene (PE) | $37K | 0.2% | – | $2,845 |
| 3915.10.9000 | Other | $15.1M | 96.3% | +10.5% | $1.6M |
| 3915.20 | Of polymers of styrene | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 3915.20.1000 | Buoys for sea-farming before they became wastes | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 3915.20.9000 | Other | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 3915.30 | Of polymers of vinyl chloride | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 3915.30.1000 | Plastic insulated wire before they became wastes | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 3915.30.9000 | Other | $0 | – | – | $0 |
| 3915.90 | Of other plastics | $903K | 5.5% | -21.8% | $71K |
| 3915.90.1000 | Of polymers of propylene | $139K | 15.4% | -1.2% | $0 |
| 3915.90.2000 | Of acrylic polymers | $10K | 1.1% | -88.3% | $4,149 |
| 3915.90.3000 | Of polyacetals | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 3915.90.4000 | Of polycarbonates | $470 | 0.1% | – | $0 |
| 3915.90.5000 | Of acrylic polymers | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 3915.90.9010 | Plastic packing materials before they became wastes | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 3915.90.9020 | Of pellet, flake or powder | $120K | 13.3% | -22.8% | $0 |
| 3915.90.9030 | Of liquid | $0 | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 3915.90.9090 | Other | $633K | 70.1% | -17.5% | $67K |
Six-digit codes are international; the indented ten-digit codes are South Korea's own subdivision. These rows are world totals; "Share" is the share of the row above.
Top destinations
Export value over the 12 months to October 2026. 25 countries received this product from South Korea in the last 24 months; the table shows the largest 20.
| Rank | Country | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | Rank before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vietnam | $13.4M | 80.8% | +3.6% | 1 | $1.7M |
| 2 | Malaysia | $1.6M | 9.9% | +114.7% | 2 | $54K |
| 3 | Australia | $524K | 3.2% | -10.6% | 3 | $19K |
| 4 | Bangladesh | $215K | 1.3% | +260.3% | 6 | $17K |
| 5 | Japan | $193K | 1.2% | -60.4% | 4 | $2,278 |
| 6 | India | $155K | 0.9% | – | – | $0 |
| 7 | Indonesia | $122K | 0.7% | -13.7% | 5 | $0 |
| 8 | Thailand | $108K | 0.7% | +717.6% | 11 | $0 |
| 9 | Taiwan | $76K | 0.5% | – | – | $0 |
| 10 | Pakistan | $60K | 0.4% | – | – | $0 |
| 11 | Hong Kong | $52K | 0.3% | – | 12 | $0 |
| 12 | Czechia | $29K | 0.2% | – | – | $29K |
| 13 | China | $9,453 | 0.1% | – | 13 | $230 |
| 14 | United States | $5,739 | 0.0% | -64.0% | 10 | $2,825 |
| 15 | Netherlands | $400 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 16 | United Kingdom | $399 | 0.0% | -98.9% | 7 | $0 |
| 17 | Mexico | $327 | 0.0% | – | 15 | $327 |
| 18 | Singapore | $110 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 19 | Canada | $107 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
| 20 | Lithuania | $45 | 0.0% | – | – | $0 |
Countries are linked when exports of this product to them reached $5,000,000 over 24 months.
Monthly figures
| Month | Exports | vs year earlier | Export weight | Export $/kg | Imports | Import weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | $1.9M | +22.9% | 5,638 t | $0.33 | $675K | 1,528 t |
| September 2026 | $1.7M | -6.1% | 5,163 t | $0.32 | $1.1M | 2,124 t |
| August 2026 | $1.6M | +11.4% | 5,528 t | $0.28 | $861K | 1,883 t |
| July 2026 | $1.6M | +25.0% | 6,059 t | $0.26 | $1.2M | 2,189 t |
| June 2026 | $1.1M | +7.8% | 3,721 t | $0.30 | $2.1M | 2,619 t |
| May 2026 | $1.3M | +4.0% | 4,430 t | $0.28 | $1.5M | 1,921 t |
| April 2026 | $1.9M | +44.6% | 6,770 t | $0.27 | $1.1M | 1,633 t |
| March 2026 | $2.0M | +64.9% | 7,512 t | $0.26 | $1.2M | 1,530 t |
| February 2026 | $813K | -17.3% | 3,425 t | $0.24 | $668K | 845 t |
| January 2026 | $1.0M | +0.6% | 3,781 t | $0.28 | $881K | 1,193 t |
| December 2025 | $945K | -25.9% | 3,897 t | $0.24 | $1.0M | 1,528 t |
| November 2025 | $854K | -19.7% | 3,366 t | $0.25 | $901K | 1,411 t |
| October 2025 | $1.5M | +44.7% | 4,596 t | $0.33 | $891K | 1,349 t |
| September 2025 | $1.8M | +25.0% | 6,565 t | $0.27 | $1.2M | 1,705 t |
| August 2025 | $1.4M | +3.5% | 5,340 t | $0.26 | $1.0M | 1,521 t |
| July 2025 | $1.3M | +8.2% | 4,661 t | $0.27 | $670K | 1,008 t |
| June 2025 | $1.0M | -26.7% | 3,818 t | $0.27 | $1.1M | 1,602 t |
| May 2025 | $1.2M | -14.7% | 4,539 t | $0.27 | $1.2M | 1,678 t |
| April 2025 | $1.3M | -23.5% | 4,253 t | $0.30 | $1000K | 1,666 t |
| March 2025 | $1.2M | -3.9% | 4,296 t | $0.28 | $615K | 1,011 t |
| February 2025 | $984K | -26.2% | 3,280 t | $0.30 | $620K | 930 t |
| January 2025 | $1.0M | -23.4% | 3,510 t | $0.30 | $877K | 1,432 t |
| December 2024 | $1.3M | -15.9% | 4,377 t | $0.29 | $534K | 775 t |
| November 2024 | $1.1M | -19.8% | 3,959 t | $0.27 | $700K | 1,091 t |
Exports FOB, imports CIF, US dollars. Weight is net weight. "vs year earlier" compares export value with the same month one year before and is left blank when that month was under $10,000. Source: Korea Customs Service, via data.go.kr.