World Cleanup Day is observed on 20 September, a date proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in resolution 78/122 of 8 December 2023.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, facilitates the observance and invites states, organisations and communities to organise activities highlighting the role of cleanup efforts in sustainable development.

The 2026 global observance is hosted in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China, from 19 to 21 September, with the main day on 20 September. It is the first time China has hosted the international programme.

The theme announced by UN-Habitat is “From Clean Plates to Clean Cities”, linking food-waste reduction to urban waste management.

Alongside the Shaoxing programme, communities worldwide organise local actions to remove waste from parks, streets, riverbanks and other public spaces.

Cleanup work produces an immediate result, but organisers also emphasise prevention. Sorting collected objects can show which products are most often discarded and where better bins, collection systems or rules are needed.

Volunteers should follow local safety instructions and avoid handling dangerous objects. Activities can be registered through UN-Habitat channels, which feature selected submissions on the dedicated page.

The day’s impact is measured not only in bags collected but also in community projects that continue after the event.

Image: Ocean Blue Project, Inc. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Beach cleanup in Oregon, 2023. Archive photograph, not from Shaoxing 2026. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: World Cleanup Day | UN-Habitat; World Cleanup Day 2026 registration | UN-Habitat; China to host World Cleanup Day global observance in Shaoxing | Xinhua.