globaltraffic.earth

Where does the United States get its polyethylene? Import sources 2024

In 2024, the United States imported $4.2 billion of polyethylene (3.7 million tonnes), 5% of the world total. Canada sold 82% of the total, followed by Mexico (4%) and South Korea (3%). The United States was the world’s 2nd-largest importer of polyethylene.

Summary

Value
$4.2billion
Tonnes
3.7million tonnes
Share of world total
5%
World rank
2nd
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 20 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD billions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
Canada3.5Tonnes: 3,232,459USD per tonne: $1,07281.7%Sea
Mexico0.17Tonnes: 177,453USD per tonne: $9694.1%Sea
South Korea0.12Tonnes: 59,329USD per tonne: $2,0492.9%Sea
Japan0.05Tonnes: 14,119USD per tonne: $3,8881.3%Sea
China0.05Tonnes: 37,840USD per tonne: $1,3451.2%Sea
Germany0.05Tonnes: 19,879USD per tonne: $2,4811.2%Sea
Sweden0.05Tonnes: 39,308USD per tonne: $1,1621.1%Sea
Singapore re-exports0.04Tonnes: 16,575USD per tonne: $2,4310.95%Sea
Belgium re-exports0.03Tonnes: 10,897USD per tonne: $3,1450.81%Sea
Israel0.03Tonnes: 13,455USD per tonne: $2,1490.68%Sea
Netherlands re-exports0.02Tonnes: 9,343USD per tonne: $2,3150.51%Sea
Brazil0.02Tonnes: 9,940USD per tonne: $2,1480.5%Sea
Finland0.02Tonnes: 7,547USD per tonne: $2,0270.36%Sea
France0.01Tonnes: 8,110USD per tonne: $1,6240.31%Sea
Spain0.01Tonnes: 5,490USD per tonne: $2,3830.31%Sea
United Kingdom0.01Tonnes: 3,687USD per tonne: $3,3620.29%Sea
Italy0.01Tonnes: 8,127USD per tonne: $1,4910.29%Sea
Switzerland0.01Tonnes: 3,180USD per tonne: $3,5040.26%Sea
Austria0.01Tonnes: 4,736USD per tonne: $2,1310.24%Sea
Taiwan0.01Tonnes: 3,374USD per tonne: $2,5120.2%Sea

Trend

Who it buys from

Canada was its main source throughout the period

Value in USD billions. The five largest sources in 2024.

  • Canada 3.5
  • Mexico 0.17
  • South Korea 0.12
  • Japan 0.05
  • China 0.05

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
Canada1.13.5
Mexico0.020.17
South Korea< 0.010.12
Japan0.020.05
China< 0.010.05

Sources and methodology

Other products of this country

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

See all products