International Day of Zero Waste
Next: March 30, 2027
Use it, fix it, use it again.
The story
Where it comes from
On 14 December 2022 the UN General Assembly proclaimed 30 March the International Day of Zero Waste, on a resolution put forward by Türkiye with 105 other countries. It was first observed in 2023, and the UN Environment Programme and UN-Habitat run it together. The day asks people to make, buy and use things in ways that create less waste, and to manage waste better, because humanity throws away between 2.1 and 2.3 billion tonnes of household and city waste every year.
How it's celebrated
The UN invites governments, businesses, universities, community groups and young people to hold events and share local zero-waste projects. At home, the day is a nudge to plan meals so less food is thrown out, carry a reusable bottle and bag, mend something instead of replacing it, and pass on what you no longer need.
Did you know
- Most food waste happens in households, about 60 per cent, ahead of food service and shops.
- Packed into shipping containers end to end, the world's yearly household and city waste would wrap around the globe 25 times.
- Some 2.7 billion people have no waste collection at all, most of them in rural areas.
Coming up next
- World Backup Day · March 31, 2027
- April Fools' Day · April 1, 2027
- International Children's Book Day · April 2, 2027
- World Autism Awareness Day · April 2, 2027
- The First Mobile Phone Call · April 3, 2027
- Taiwan Children's Day · April 4, 2027