Millions of people from 191 countries gathered on 18th September on World Cleanup Day to clean up their communities. World Cleanup Day’s aim is to engage 5% of each country’s population in its actions as that is the scientifically proven tipping point for initiating lasting social change. Countries participating in World Cleanup Day focused on individual and socially distanced group cleanups, collecting cigarette butts, doing digital cleanups, and running sorting-recycling-composting workshops.

Among the millions mobilized, many world leaders also added their contribution. For instance, Queen Sophia of Spain went litter picking in Alicante to participate in World Cleanup Day for the fourth time. Sportsmen, among whom Lucie Ignace, the multi-champion of karate, and musicians, such as Jack Johnson, also urged people to head out and clean their communities' natural areas on World Cleanup Day. Long-lasting partnerships with several multinational organizations, such as Earth Day Network, JCI, and campaigns like #EUBeachCleanup have also mobilized volunteers for the single-day global cleanup wave.

World Cleanup Day is the largest single peacetime civic action against waste, aimed at raising awareness of the scale of the global waste crisis threatening the environment and the lives of millions of people and all living beings. World Cleanup Day in 2018 engaged 17.6 Million people, in 2019 21.2 Million people in 180 countries, and in 2020 11 Million people. In the four consecutive World Cleanup Days from 2018 until 2021 more than 60 Million volunteers have been engaged in one day, one country cleanups.

World Cleanup Day has proven to be a vehicle to bring different stakeholders with contrasting aims—it allows private, public, and civic sectors to work together for a common cause: a waste-free world. Participating in World Cleanup Day creates stronger and more coherent communities, unites people for a grander goal, helps overcome difficulties, and teaches collaboration above all else.

Links to press coverage below:
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/philippines-divers-clear-plastic-waste-corals-world-cleanup-day-2021-09-18/
https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/latest-news/news/2021/09/17/world-cleanup-day
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202109/1234639.shtml