World Cleanup Day 2026 Observed On September 20 With Theme 'From Clean Plates To Clean Cities'

Key facts

• World Cleanup Day 2026, a UN-recognised day, was observed on September 20 with the theme 'From Clean Plates to Clean Cities', focusing on food waste prevention.
• According to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, around 1.05 billion metric tonnes of food were wasted globally in 2022, about 19 per cent of the food available to consumers, with households accounting for around 60 per cent of this waste.
• The UN estimates that approximately 673 million people experienced hunger in 2024.
• The UN estimates that food loss and waste account for around 8-10 per cent of global greenhouse-gas emissions.
• The global observance of World Cleanup Day 2026 took place in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China.