Global Observance of World Cleanup Day 2026 opens in Shaoxing

Global Observance of World Cleanup Day 2026

Global Observance of World Cleanup Day 2026 opened in Shaoxing, East China’s Zhejiang province, on Sept 20, bringing together over 800 representatives from UN agencies, international organizations, government departments, cities, businesses and research institutions.

Under the theme “From Clean Plate to Clean City”, the event focuses on food waste reduction and sustainable urban development, highlighting how local action can contribute to global environmental goals.

The event is jointly hosted by China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province and UN-Habitat, and is organized by the People’s Government of Shaoxing. At the opening ceremony, officials and representatives from China, UN agencies and other countries delivered remarks.

Several initiatives and cooperation outcomes were unveiled during the ceremony. The Shaoxing Practices Report and Shaoxing Call to Action was released, while UN-Habitat and Shaoxing Municipal People's Government signed a memorandum of understanding. A global video relay featuring clean-city actions from cities around the world was also presented.

The event also features an exhibition on clean-city development and an environmental sanitation expo. The exhibition presents international, national, Zhejiang and Shaoxing cases, covering food waste reduction, waste sorting, resource recycling and artificial intelligence applications. More than 100 companies are participating in the expo, showcasing smart sanitation equipment, green cleaning technologies, solid-waste treatment solutions, new-energy sanitation systems and digital operation and maintenance services.

Participants will also visit several sites across Shaoxing to explore the city’s practices in food waste reduction, waste sorting, resource recycling, heritage conservation and industrial innovation.

In recent years, Shaoxing has sought to build a comprehensive clean-city system, starting with the “Clean Plate” campaign and extending efforts across the food supply chain, waste sorting and resource recovery. The city aims to deepen international exchanges and share its experience in green urban governance with the world.