International Day of Zero Waste

Humanity’s unsustainable production and consumption practices are driving the planet towards destruction.

Households, small businesses and public service providers generate between 2.1 billion and 2.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste every year – from packaging and electronics to plastics and food. However, global waste management services are ill-equipped to handle this, with 2.7 billion people lacking access to solid waste collection and only 61-62 per cent of municipal solid waste being managed in controlled facilities. Humanity must act urgently to address the waste crisis.

This year’s International Day of Zero Waste emphasizes the need for action in the fashion and textile sector to reduce waste and advance circular solutions. Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles

The rapid growth in textiles production and consumption is outpacing sustainability efforts in the sector, causing severe environmental, economic, and social impacts, particularly in the Global South. Clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2015 and yet, 92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced globally. This equates to a garbage truck full of clothing incinerated or sent to landfills every second.

Addressing this challenge requires systemic change through sustainable production and consumption, and circular solutions. A zero-waste approach is key to this transition.

Consumers can significantly reduce environmental harm by adopting practices like reuse, repair, and recycling. Shifting away from fast fashion and investing in durable, high-quality clothing not only conserves resources but also honors traditional sustainability approaches.

The private sector must take responsibility by designing products that are durable, repairable, and recyclable, while embracing circular business models that curb chemical pollution, reduce production volumes, use sustainable materials, and help rebuild biodiversity. Innovation and accountability should guide business strategies.

Governments play a critical role by enforcing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, regulating harmful chemicals, investing in recycling infrastructure, and incentivizing sustainable business models to drive the transition to a circular economy.

Background

On 14 December 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution at its seventy-seventh session to proclaim 30 March as International Day of Zero Waste, to be observed annually. Türkiye, with 105 other countries, put forward the resolution, following other high-level decisions focused on pollution, such as the UN Environment Assembly resolution “End plastic pollution: towards an internationally legally binding instrument”.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) jointly facilitate the observance of International Day of Zero Waste.

As part of this campaign, Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, civil society, the private sector, academia, women, youth and other stakeholders are invited to engage in activities aimed at raising awareness of national, subnational, regional and local zero-waste initiatives and their contribution to achieving sustainable development.

Promoting zero-waste initiatives through this international day can help advance all the goals and targets in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including Sustainable Development Goal 11 and Sustainable Development Goal 12. These goals address all forms of waste, including food loss and waste, natural resource extraction and electronic waste.