Plastic has permeated every corner of our oceans and rivers, leaving no inch of ocean plastic-free. Plastic bags, often used for mere minutes, take over 20 years to break down, posing severe threats to marine life, ecosystems, and human health. By promoting a plastic bag-free lifestyle, this event inspires consumers to minimize their ecological footprint, fight plastic pollution, and try sustainable alternatives. So, we had to ask: What is the most important information you need to know about this year’s International Plastic Bag Free Day?

👉 Official Name: International Plastic Bag Free Day
💚 Cause: Discourage the usage of single-use plastic bags and advance alternatives
📅 Next Date: July 3, 2025
🐦 Hashtag: #PlasticBagFreeDay, #FightPlasticPollution, #BagFreeWorld

Keep reading to find all the important information about International Plastic Bag Free Day at a glance: its big picture, why it’s important, and how you can get involved. We’ll then share its brief history, three interesting facts about it, its future dates, and how you’ll never miss any important awareness event again.

The Most Important Information About International Plastic Bag Free Day at a Glance

1️⃣ The big picture: International Plastic Bag Free Day is a movement urging the reduction or elimination of single-use plastic bags worldwide. The event gathers non-profits, environmental groups, activists, and governments to hold public parades, advocate on the streets, and create engaging posters to raise awareness of the harms of plastic bags. The observance also fights to educate the public through workshops, webinars, and social media posts to use durable and eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags. 

2️⃣ Why it is important: Each year, the world uses around 5 trillion plastic bags – that is 160,000 every second! Put side by side, they could circle the world 7 times over. On average, the usability of a plastic bag is only 12 minutes, after which it is tossed away – and only 2% of the time in the recycling bin. The rest end up in landfills, oceans, and rivers, killing entire ecosystems when animals mistake the bags for food. Moreover, plastic bags never actually biodegrade, but photodegrade into smaller particles – microplastics – that contaminate the environment and affect the health of all species on earth, including humans. 

3️⃣ How you can get involved: You can celebrate International Plastic Bag Free Day by minimizing your use of plastic bags, recycling the ones you have, or joining efforts with your loved ones and organizations to advance this cause:

1. Ditch the plastic bag: Take a pledge to reduce your use of plastic bags, both single-use and multiple-use. Check out the best plastic bag alternatives to take on based on your shopping needs. 
2. Recycle plastic: If you have plastic bags in your house, or if you cannot avoid using them from time to time, make sure to recycle them correctly and give a safe and sustainable future for your plastic. 
3. It takes a village: Use this day to raise awareness in your community, to your loved ones, and on social media about the harmful effects of convenience when it comes to plastic bags. Gather friends or colleagues and join public awareness events during the day or organize a beach cleanup. 
4. Join organized efforts: Donate your time and money to organizations fighting against plastic pollution. You can also join their advocacy efforts to improve legislation and business practices that reduce the use of plastic bags at the local or even national level! 

Below are our favorite charities that are relevant for International Plastic Bag Free Day:

• Best Charities That Fight to End Plastic Pollution
• Best Charities to Save Our Oceans
• Plastic Pollution Coalition
• The Ocean Cleanup
• People Against Plastic Pollution
• Plastic Soup Foundation
• Take 3 For The Sea

A Brief History of International Plastic Bag Free Day

When was this event established: Plastic Bag Free Day was established in the early 2000s when environmental organizations and concerned citizens began advocating for reduced plastic bag usage. The Day became a global event in 2009, supported by various non-profits and environmental groups that combat plastic pollution. Among them were Zero Waste Europe, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, and Bag Free World.

How has it developed since then: In 2016, International Plastic Bag Free Day became part of the Break Free From Plastic movement, and, in 2020, the campaign engaged 6,500 individuals and 2,400 organizations. In recent years, the event has been celebrated from South Korea to Croatia, from Chilé to Iceland, with hundreds of activities taking place on this day. Each year, the campaign has an inspiring motto to engage the public. For example, in 2017, the motto #EnoughExcuses aimed to motivate people to no longer hide behind excuses of convenience and take responsibility for their use of plastic bags.

3 Interesting Facts About International Plastic Bag Free Day

1. Banning plastic bags: In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country in the world to implement a ban on plastic bags after they were found to clog the drainage systems and cause disastrous flooding. For the same reason, Kenya, Rwanda, and other countries banned plastic bags as well. Today, over 100 countries and 24 US states have a full or partial ban on single-use plastic bags. 
2. The messy bag: The fossil fuel used to produce 14 plastic bags could fuel a car for 1 mile, making their manufacturing process environmentally harmful. In addition, incorrectly recycled plastic bags can clog recycling machinery, costing up to $9,500 per month to unclog the equipment. Plastic bags can also clog sewers, snag in trees, and blow into water bodies, requiring cleanups that can cost up to $500 million a year.
3. The plague of microplastics: The microplastics formed after plastic decomposes are ingested by animals, causing reduced appetite, impaired growth and behavior, decreased reproduction, altered gene expression, and damage to DNA. Moreover, microplastics are everywhere, from the Mariana Trench to Mount Everest. As a result, it is estimated that, by 2050, 99% of marine species will have eaten microplastics. 

Upcoming Dates of International Plastic Bag Free Day

International Plastic Bag Free Day is observed every year on July 3. 

Never Miss an Important Awareness Event Again

Sources

• Zero Waste Europe: Plastic Bag Free Day 2015 Global Round-up
• WWF: the lifecycle of plastics
• Research Gate: Microplastic pollution, a threat to marine ecosystem and human health: a short review
• Appropedia: Small Changes, Big Impact: Celebrate International Plastic Bag Free Day
• Break Free From Plastic: International Plastic Bag Free Day – actions around the world
• The World Counts: Number of plastic bags produced
• Beyond Plastics: plastic bans
• Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne: Home » Why Should You Get Rid of the Plastic Bag?
• Fauna Flora: How does plastic pollution affect marine life?
• Pollution Solutions: What is Plastic Photodegradation?
• Mongabay: Microplastics are sickening and killing wildlife, disrupting Earth systems
• National Library of Medicine: Health Effects of Microplastic Exposures
• The Alternative Travel Guide: 8 Excellent Plastic Bag Alternatives For An Eco-Friendly Lifestyle
• Ethix Merch: Your ultimate guide to eco-friendly plastic bags alternatives
• Making Sustainable Change: What’s the Right Way to Recycle Plastic Bags and Bubble Wrap
• ASU News: The inconvenient consequences of a culture of convenience
• VolunteerCleanup: find a cleanup
• SigmaEarth: International Plastic Bag Free Day: History And Significance
• Zero Waste Europe: home page
• Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives: home page
• Days of the Year: International Plastic Bag Free Day
• Break Free From Plastic: home page
• National Today: International Plastic Bag Free Day
• Oak Foundation: International Plastic Bag Free Day
• PagerPower: Results So Far From Plastic Bag Bans
• Planet Patrol: which countries have banned plastic bags?
• Center for Biological Diversity: 10 FACTS ABOUT SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAGS
• Beyond Plastics: plastic bags
• Ocean Conservancy: Microplastics, Facts & Figures
• National Geographic: Microplastics are in our bodies. How much do they harm us?
• Earth.org: The Detrimental Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Animals