World Cleanup Day joins the UN calendar for the first time on Saturday, September 20.
What began in Estonia in 2008 has now become a global movement, mobilising more than 114 million people across 211 countries to take on the waste crisis.
This milestone coincides with a significant launch from The Leprosy Mission Australia (TLMA)—the new ‘Sip, Save, Support’ campaign.
Simply collect eligible bottles and containers, return them through your state or territory scheme, and choose to donate your refund. Every 10 cents becomes practical care, treatment, and opportunities for people affected by leprosy.
For TLMA CEO Greg Clarke, there’s a poetic justice in the initiative:
“It’s really a redemptive arc, if you think about it. Excess glass and plastic are overwhelming our planet—this is why we need World Cleanup Day. Yet the same discarded containers can be recycled, reimbursed, and then redirected into life-giving work. The same garbage that pollutes the earth can instead bring healing and hope.”
Along with individual donors, TLMA is encouraging churches, youth groups, and community organisations to join in—gathering containers, returning them together, and multiplying their impact.
To access group resources and learn more, head to: stillathing.org/sipsavesupport
