In 2018, PLAN created the Break Free From Plastic Campus Pledge, the most comprehensive single-use plastic elimination policy that colleges and universities can commit to today. Since then, our BFFP programming has expanded to support campus brand audits, student organizers in the Ohio River Valley, and more.

Break Free From Plastic is a global movement committed to eliminating unnecessary single-use plastic by intervening at every stage of the plastic pollution cycle. This work builds connections between plastic and its threats to marginalized communities and climate change.

Plastic Free Action Camp

Students Taking on Oil & Petrochemicals (STOP)

Brand Audits

Results are in from our first-ever Campus Brand Audit Report!

In 2021, we asked our network to join in on brand audits and shift the responsibility to corporations for campus waste. The brands that have been the top global polluters for 4 years running (Coca-Cola and Pepsi) are the same companies colleges welcome to their campus for multi-million dollar contracts.

Brand audits are our response to Earth Week’s increasing emphasis on individual action — they are ways to push companies to take accountability for their pollution! This report is just one part of campaign efforts across the world to push for plastic-free campuses.

Read the 2021-22 Report

Who is working on eliminating plastic from their campus?

The BFFP Pledge goes beyond single-item bans while centering accessibility. PLAN supports students across the US that are campaigning their schools to sign onto this pledge. Stars: Campuses that have signed the pledge ~ Diamonds: Campuses with active campaigns ~ Circles: Campuses that had campaigns (now inactive)

Who has offically signed the pledge?

Cerritos Community College

The Cerritos College Geography Club laid a strong foundation to help end the use of plastic products on campus. In 2018, former Club president Salvador Uribe and his successor Raul Leon, in 2019, helped lead student efforts to raise awareness about plastic’s negative impact to the environment. Current Club leaders Gisselle Delgadillo and Hector Ledesma brought the final resolution to the Board at its November 17 meeting. Ryan Goode, the Club’s advisor, provided critical support to the students and their campaign.

Emory University

On June 15, President Gregory L. Fenves met with leaders of the student-led Plastic Free Emory Project and signed the “Break Free from Plastic” pledge, which outlines a five-year plan for reducing unnecessary single-use plastics on Emory’s Atlanta and Oxford campuses.

Colby Sawyer College

Colby-Sawyer College and Parkhurst Dining have announced the signing of the Break Free From Plastic Pledge! 🎉 Colby-Sawyer is the FIRST campus in New Hampshire to pledge to eliminate nonessential single-use plastics on campus by 2024.⁠

Marshall University

Marshall University is the first in West Virginia, and first in 2021 to sign onto the pledge. They are commited to eliminate plastic by 2026. STOP Student organizer, Baliegh Epperly, had a big hand in the succcess.

The University of California System

Under a new policy announced Aug. 24, all 10 campuses will phase out single-use plastic bags in retail and dining locations and then eliminate single-use plastic food service items and plastic bottles.

The College of the Atlantic

The College of the Atlantic is the first college campus in the country to sign onto the “Break Free From Plastic Campus Pledge” – a campus-wide commitment to eliminate all single-use disposable plastics. With COA’s President signing the pledge last week, COA has committed to “Break Free From Plastic” by 2025. This initiative was led by the student group [Earth] and supported by the non-profit the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN). The “Break Free From Plastic” campus pledge and toolkit specifically addresses accessibility and inclusivity concerns, and generates a framework for college campuses (and other institutions) to develop long-term systemic solutions to issues around waste and disposable consumption.

Eckerd College

The Break Free from Plastic–Eckerd College Pledge will be the first and most stringent campus wide purchasing guideline to be enacted in the nation. Beginning on January 1, 2020, faculty, staff and students will be prohibited from using any of the College budget to buy nonessential, single-use plastics such as single-serve beverage bottles, plates, utensils, cups, shopping bags, hot-beverage packets in plastic, plastic shipping and packing materials, plasticated name tags, balloons, glow sticks, glitter and more.

SUNY ESF

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is the first college in New York state and the third in the nation to sign the #breakfreefromplastic campus pledge, committing to develop a roadmap to a plastic-free campus by 2025. This pledge was developed by PLAN and is part of the Break Free From Plastic movement, which was started in 2016 to eliminate single-use plastic internationally.

Sterling College

Sterling College, a working college in Vermont, signed the pledge in March 2020, becoming the first working college to sign.

Durham Technical Community College

Durham Tech is the first community college to sign the pledge, in May 2020.

Read the Pledge

Ready to kick plastic off your campus? Get started with our Plastic Free Campus Manual, then set up a meeting with Young.

Plastic Free Campus Manual

Meet PLAN’s Campaign Director

Young is a campaign organizer at the Post-Landfill Action Network. They graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in April of 2019 after leading the Fossil Fuel Divestment campaign there, and have since worked with over 60 colleges nation-wide on their plastics campaigns.

Meet With Young

Working on a plastic-free campaign? Add your campus to the map!