World Cleanup Day on the Parvis of La Défense on 17 September 2026

World Cleanup Day is back in Paris La Défense on Thursday 17 September 2026. For its sixth edition, a new cigarette butt collection drive is being organised on the forecourt of La Défense.

From 12 noon to 2 pm, employees from local businesses and all volunteers are invited to collect and weigh cigarette butts, and to come together around this initiative.

During the lunch break on Thursday 17 September 2026, employees, students and residents of the business district will be able to take part in this year’s World Cleanup Day. The aim, as every year, is to collect as many cigarette ends as possible to clean up the plaza. The cigarette ends collected will then be recycled by the company Cy-clope.

To mark the occasion, World Cleanup Day – France will be running a stand opposite La Grande Arche. Volunteers from the organisation will be on hand to:

• welcome your teams;
• raise awareness amongst your teams about the issue of waste;
• provide rubbish bins.

Find out everything you need to know about the clean-up events

In 2025, World Cleanup Day brought together numerous volunteers in the business district, who managed to collect 32,400 cigarette ends. 100 per cent were recycled, helping to protect 16,200 m³ of water from pollution – equivalent to 294,545 five-minute showers or 940 hours of laptop use.

Founded in 2017, the World Cleanup Day France association – set up by a group of citizens – aims to promote World Cleanup Day across the country. It has since been accredited by the non-governmental organisation Let’s Do It World. This has enabled it to run three major projects: World Cleanup Day, Digital Cleanup Day and the Mégothon.

Find out more about the organisation

This year, the litter-picking events are taking place from 16 to 20 September 2026. The aim is to raise awareness of litter pollution and its impact on the environment, public health and biodiversity.

Practical information: 
Thursday 17 September 2026, 12 noon to 2 pm
La Défense forecourt
Opposite La Grande Arche