World Cleanup Day 2026 to Be Hosted in China for the First Time, Shaoxing Named Global Host City
Dragon Media News Desk
The global observance of World Cleanup Day 2026 will be held in Shaoxing City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, marking the first time China has been selected to host the main global event.
Cecilia Andersson, Programme Management Officer and Waste Management Lead at UN-Habitat, announced at a press conference in Shaoxing that the event will run from September 19 to 21.
This year’s theme, “From Clean Plates to Clean Cities,” will place particular emphasis on reducing food waste, promoting responsible consumption, improving resource efficiency and strengthening urban cleanliness.
According to Andersson, preventing and reducing waste at the source is essential to building cleaner, healthier and more resource-efficient cities, rather than relying solely on waste treatment after it has already been generated.
Wang Shengjun, chief economist at China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said the goals of World Cleanup Day closely align with China’s efforts to develop modern, people-centered cities.
He said hosting the event would allow China to learn from effective practices around the world while also helping improve the quality of urban development and create better living environments for residents.
Shaoxing, the host city, was among the early Chinese cities to implement the nationwide “Clean Your Plate” campaign aimed at reducing food waste. The city has also promoted household waste sorting, community cleanup activities and resource conservation initiatives.
In 2021, Shaoxing introduced an action plan to curb food waste, mobilizing government agencies, businesses, schools, communities and the public to encourage food conservation and more economical consumption.
The global event comes as China accelerates national efforts in solid waste management and green transition. Earlier this year, China introduced an action plan aimed at strengthening the control, collection, transportation, recycling and safe disposal of solid waste.
By 2030, China aims to raise the annual comprehensive utilization of major bulk solid waste to around 4.5 billion tonnes and increase the annual recycling of major renewable resources to about 510 million tonnes.
China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period from 2026 to 2030 also prioritizes comprehensive solid waste management, stronger environmental risk controls, the treatment of emerging pollutants and the development of “zero-waste cities.”
The United Nations General Assembly designated September 20 as World Cleanup Day in 2023. The observance seeks to move cleanup efforts beyond simply collecting waste by linking them with sustainable development, responsible consumption, resource conservation and healthier urban living.
