A total of 900 million single-use plastic bags do not exist thanks to the statewide plastic bag ban, which came into effect a year ago on Monday, according to the National Retail Association.
Despite early criticisms and consumer backlash, the eco-friendly policy appears to have swept across Queensland as the number of plastic bags given out by retailers has plummeted.
Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch says there has been at least a 70 per cent drop in plastic bag litter since the introduction of the ban.