Article Written By: Anica Yunji Hwang
Plastic is now a word people hear frequently during their daily lives, whether it is at the mall, the theatres, or at home. The word originally meant “pliable and easily shaped” when first invented. It only recently became a name for a category of materials called polymers, which are easily manipulated in shape, eventually becoming an essential part of our lives. Especially over the last 50 years plastics have saturated our world and changed the way that we live.
The first synthetic polymer was invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt, who was inspired by a New York firm’s offer of $10,000 for anyone who could provide a substitute for ivory. He discovered a kind of plastic that could be crafted into a variety of shapes and made to imitate natural substances like tortoiseshell, horn, linen, and ivory. This discovery was praised as revolutionary, as it for the first time in human history, destroyed the limits of nature; a human could now create new materials. This development helped not only people but also the environment. Advertisements praised celluloid as the savior of the elephant and the tortoise. Plastics could protect the natural world from the destructive forces of human need. And the plastics revolution was only getting started.
In 1907 Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, meaning it contained no molecules found in nature. Bakelite was not only a good insulator; it was also durable, heat resistant, and, unlike celluloid, ideally suited for mechanical mass production. Marketed as “the material of a thousand uses,” Bakelite could be shaped or moulded into almost anything, providing endless possibilities.
Hyatt’s and Baekeland’s successes led major chemical companies to invest in the research and development of new polymers, and new plastics were soon invented, however, not with specific properties. People decided they will find uses for them later.
World War II necessitated a great expansion of the plastics industry. Nylon, invented by Wallace Carothers in 1935 as synthetic silk, was used during the war for parachutes, ropes, body armour, helmet liners, and more. Plexiglas provided an alternative to glass for aircraft windows. A Time magazine article noted that because of the war, “plastics have been turned to new uses and the adaptability of plastics demonstrated all over again. During World War II plastic production in the United States increased by 300%.
The surge in plastic production continued after the war ended. After experiencing the Great Depression and then World War II, Americans were ready to spend again, and much of what they bought was made of plastic. According to author Susan Freinkel, “In product after product, market after market, plastics challenged traditional materials and won, taking the place of steel in cars, paper and glass in packaging, and wood in furniture. The possibilities of plastics gave some observers an almost utopian vision of a future with abundant material wealth thanks to an inexpensive, safe, sanitary substance that could be shaped by humans to their every whim.
However, the unblemished optimism about plastics didn’t last. In the postwar years, there was a shift in American perceptions as plastics were no longer seen as unambiguously positive. Plastic debris in the oceans was first observed in the 1960s, a decade in which Americans became increasingly aware of environmental problems. Rachel Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring, exposed the dangers of chemical pesticides. In 1969 a major oil spill occurred off the California coast and the polluted Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire, raising concerns about pollution. As awareness about environmental issues spread, the persistence of plastic waste began to trouble observers.
Plastic also gradually became a word used to describe that which was cheap, flimsy, or fake. In The Graduate, one of the top movies of 1968, Dustin Hoffman’s character was urged by an older acquaintance to make a career in plastics. Audiences cringed along with Hoffman at what they saw as misplaced enthusiasm for an industry that, rather than being full of possibilities, was a symbol of cheap conformity and superficiality.
Despite growing mistrust, plastics are critical to modern life. Plastics made possible the development of computers, cell phones, and most of the lifesaving advances of modern medicine. Lightweight and good for insulation, plastics help save fossil fuels used in heating and in transportation. Perhaps most important, inexpensive plastics raised the standard of living and made material abundance more readily available. Without plastic, many possessions that we take for granted might be out of reach for all but the richest Americans. Replacing natural materials with plastic has made many of our possessions cheaper, lighter, safer, and stronger.
Since it’s clear that plastics have a valuable place in our lives, some scientists are attempting to make plastics safer and more sustainable. Some innovators are developing bioplastics, which are made from plant crops instead of fossil fuels, to create substances that are more environmentally friendly than conventional plastics. Others are working to make plastics that are truly biodegradable. Some innovators are searching for ways to make recycling more efficient, and they even hope to perfect a process that converts plastics back into the fossil fuels from which they were derived. All of these innovators recognize that plastics are not perfect but that they are an important and necessary part of our future.
Bibliography (MLA 8 FORMAT):
Website Citations:
Website 1:
Science History Institute. “The History and Future of Plastics.” Science History Institute, 20 Dec. 2016, www.sciencehistory.org/the-history-and-future-of-plastics.
Photo Citations:
Photo 1:
Limited, Alamy. “Stock Photo - Bottle. Industrial Production of Plastic Pet Bottles. Factory Line for Manufacturing Polyethylene Bottles. Transparent Food Packaging.” Alamy, 29 Nov. 2017, www.alamy.com/bottle-industrial-production-of-plastic-pet-bottles-factory-line-for-manufacturing-polyethylene-bottles-transparent-food-packaging-image185257185.html.