International Day of Zero Waste 2025 – Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles

IN NEWS:

International Day of Zero Waste 2025 – Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles

Analysis

1. Context:
   • The International Day of Zero Waste is observed annually on 30 March, emphasizing the importance of waste prevention, reduction, and sustainable management.
   • The 2025 observance highlights the theme — “Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles.”
2. Current Theme Focus:
   • The fashion and textile industry has become one of the largest global polluters, driven by fast fashion and unsustainable consumption.
   • Between 2000 and 2015, clothing production doubled, but about 92 million tonnes of textile waste are produced globally each year — equivalent to a garbage truck full of clothes disposed every second.
   • The 2025 observance urges governments, private sector, and consumers to adopt circular economy models, focusing on reuse, repair, recycling, and sustainable design.
3. Major Global Statistics:
   • 2.1–2.3 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated annually worldwide.
   • 2.7 billion people still lack access to formal solid waste collection.
   • Only 61–62% of municipal solid waste is managed in controlled facilities.
4. Institutional Role & Global Coordination:
   • The event is co-organized by the
     • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and
     • United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat),
     • In cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Türkiye and the Zero Waste Foundation.
   • The 2025 event is scheduled on 27 March 2025 (10:00 am–1:00 pm EST) at the UN General Assembly Hall, New York.
5. Background:
   • The UN General Assembly, through its Resolution adopted on 14 December 2022, proclaimed 30 March as the International Day of Zero Waste.
   • Proposed by Türkiye with support from 105 countries, the resolution builds upon global efforts like the UN Environment Assembly resolution “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an Internationally Legally Binding Instrument.”
   • The observance aims to promote zero-waste initiatives across national, regional, and local levels, advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
6. Connection with SDGs:
   • SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: Promotes responsible urban waste management.
   • SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: Encourages circular economy and reduction of resource extraction, food loss, and electronic waste.
7. Call to Action:
   • Governments: Implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), regulate harmful chemicals, and invest in recycling infrastructure.
   • Private Sector: Design durable, repairable, and recyclable products, and adopt sustainable production models.
   • Consumers: Reduce consumption, reuse and repair textiles, and choose sustainable fashion options.

Static Information

Updated – 30 March 2025 ; 11: 50 PM | United Nations

Source: United Nations Official Website