World Cleanup Day 2026
If there’s one thing the planet really needs, and Saint Martin too, it’s a thorough clean-up. Waste is invading every corner of the globe. The world’s population produces around 2.6 billion tonnes of waste every year.
This figure was recorded in 2022, and according to World Bank forecasts, it was not due to be reached until 2030. If the trend continues, the global volume of waste could surge by 50 per cent in just over twenty years. According to the World Bank’s ‘What a Waste 3.0’ report, without action from various countries – including China and the United States, the world’s leading producers of waste – more than 3.9 billion tonnes of waste will, by 2050, threaten public health and the environment and overwhelm existing infrastructure… a situation already evident in Saint Martin. This is all the more true given that a third of the world’s waste is not collected and ends up in unauthorised dumps. Whilst we wait for the world to take action, everyone must do their bit.
Every year on 20 September, World Cleanup Day – the global campaign to clean up the planet launched by the Let’s Do It Foundation – aims to raise awareness of this issue and encourage every citizen to work towards a waste-free world. For the 2026 event, 1,645 clean-up initiatives are already planned across mainland France, Guadeloupe and Martinique from 16 to 20 September, in addition to the one organised by the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten.
Two days of clean-ups
The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten is taking part in World Cleanup Day with a weekend dedicated to two coastal areas: on Saturday 19 September, from 7 am to 9 am, at Little Bay Beach & Pond; and on Sunday 20 September, from 7 am to 9 am, from La Belle Créole to Anse des Sables. Gloves, bin bags and refreshments will be provided on site. To take part in a fun way, form a team of three to six people and download the Clean Swell app. This will allow one person in the team to record the litter collected by the group. It is recommended that you wear closed-toe shoes, long sleeves and trousers. You can take part on one day or both by registering as a volunteer at www.volunteer.sx/o/EPIC1.
Rubbish as a source of inspiration
Another fun way to get involved: use World Cleanup Day as an opportunity to create a piece of art using litter or materials collected during the clean-up – such as a sculpture, painting, costume, piece of furniture, installation or collaborative artwork. The competition is open to schools, businesses, organisations and creative members of the public (amateurs or experienced creators of all ages). Simply post your creation – a photo or video – on Instagram, tagging @worldcleanupdayfrance, and email it to murielle.chamarande@worldcleanupday.fr. The competition runs until 30 September and the results will be announced on 22 October. There’s no grand prize up for grabs, but you’ll feel proud to have turned waste into something beautiful.
