World Cleanup Day

World Cleanup Day is one big world cleanup day. On this day, thousands of people in 150 countries take to the streets to pick up trash and clean up their cities.

History

This street sweeping movement started in Estonia in 2008. The event took place on May 3 and gathered more than 50,000 residents. The participants of the large-scale cleanup followed the motto ‘one country, one day’. After just five hours of work, more than 10 tons of garbage were removed, which was sorted and sent for recycling. Studies have shown that over the 4 years of this action, the garbage on Estonian streets decreased by a third.

The example of the Estonian volunteers, who showed by common efforts it is possible to quickly put a city in order, inspired people around the world. Every year, more and more countries became participants in the big clean-up. An official date of this event was set – the third Saturday of September.

Interesting facts

• The most common small waste in cities is chewing gum, cigarette butts, and single-use plastic bags. All this waste consists of synthetic material and pollutes the environment, as they practically do not decompose.
• It is estimated that about 13 million tons of plastic waste is thrown into the ocean every year.
• Singapore is the cleanest city in the world. It relies on fines for littering. Violators have to pay up to $1,000.

How to take part

Gather your relatives, friends, and acquaintances to participate in the biggest community work day. Help your city become cleaner! Additional information about the event can be found on the official website: https://www.worldcleanupdaycuracao.org/about/.

Learn more about the environmental impact of household waste. Host your own outreach events at schools and universities. Attract more people to the annual world clean-up!

When is World Cleanup Day in 2024?

World Cleanup Day is observed on the third Saturday of September each year.

Observations