BANGKOK (ANN): Around 75 brands and 24,500 distribution channels under the Thai Retailers Association will stop providing plastic bags from Jan 1 in a bid to reduce the whopping 9 billion, or 20%, of plastic bags used in Thailand.

According to the Pollution Control Department, 45 billion plastic bags are used each year in the country – 18 billion, or 40%, by local markets and street vendors, 13.5 billion, or 30%, by retail shops, and another 30% by department stores and supermarkets.