Life is Plastic

Over the last couple years I have become increasingly more aware of how much of my life is made up of plastic. Plastic grocery & garbage bags, product packaging, house hold appliances, office supplies, dishes, “reusable” lunch containers, jewelry, water bottles, luggage, cars, children’s toys, adult toys, musical instruments, bike helmets, clothing, electronics, some inks, snow shovels (I live in Canada by the way), tablecloths, lawnmowers, furniture, and the list goes on. I am guilty of excessive plastic consumption and whether I like it or not, plastic is everywhere and it will be for a long, long, long time!

Before I can decrease my consumption of plastics, two things need to be investigated. First, what is plastic? Where does it come from and how is it made? Secondly, how did plastic evolve into an everyday household product? In other words, how did it come to be that so much of my life is plastic? If we human beings ever lived without plastic (and I am told we once did), than surely we could find a way to limit  plastic consumption again. Life doesn’t have to be plastic…Does it?

Thus, I begin my research (and therefore this blog) with a brief evolutional timeline of plastic:

1856 An English scientist named Alexander Parkes patents Parkesine, the first man-made thermoplastic. Parkesine was an organic material made from caster oil and gun cotton.  When heated it could be molded and when it cooled it maintained its shape. The material was intended to be an inexpensive replacement for rubber.

1862 Parkes exhibits Parkesine at the Great International Exhibition in London and later forms the Parkesine Company, a relatively unsuccessful manufacturing company. The downfall: Parkesine was expensive to produce, flammable, and often cracked under pressure. 

1869 After Parkes’ company failed, a similar substance, called Xylonite,
was marketed by Daniel Spill, a colleague of Parkes.

1870 Celluloid, the first completely synthetic man-made plastic, is invented by Isaiah Hyatt and John Wesley. The material is made from cellulose and alcholized camphor.  Well into the early 1900’s, celluloid was used to manufacture many products that were previously made from bone, ivory, or tortoiseshells. Ever wonder why celluloid isn’t widely used today? Well, that’s because it is flammable and decomposes easily.

1907 A synthetic plastic, called Bakelite, is produced by Belgian chemist, Leo Baekeland. Bakelite was made from coal tar resins and was used for its electrically nonconductive and heat-resistant properties. The benefits of this plastic were widely utilized in products such as electrical insulators, telephone and radio casings, jewelry, kitchenware, and children’s toys.

1908 Cellophane is invented by Swiss chemist, Jacques E. Brandenberger. The material is made from regenerated cellulose. Its thin and transparent appearance made it particularly useful for food packaging. Although it is widely used, this material is not recyclable. 

1920 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is invented. Made from thermoplastic polymer, PVC is now one of the most widely produced plastics because it is durable, inexpensive to produce, and easily moldable. Arguably the most controversial plastic, the production of PVC releases toxic chemical compounds, called Dioxins, into the environment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems,damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer".

Not surprisingly,  many environmental groups, such as Greenpeace International have advocated banning the material entirely, resulting in some countries beginning to restrict its use.

1925 The word “plastic” begins to be used.

1938 Polyetetrafluorethylene (PTFE), or Teflon, a new fluorinated plastic, is discovered by DuPont scientist, Roy J. Plunkett. It was released by the company as a commercial product in 1946 and was the first non-stick cookware. Made from harmful chemicals that pose major health and environmental risks, Teflon is known to release traces of toxic chemicals into the blood stream when it is scratched or heated too high. But at least it makes washing dishes a lot easier, right?

1939 Nylon stockings, made from synthetic polymers, are invented by Wallace Carothers at DuPont and introduced at the New York World’s Fair, changing women’s fashion forever!

1948 Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is invented. Derived from acrylonitrile,

butadiene, styrene, and carbon, this plastic is used from everything

from car parts to musical instruments.

1950 Canada’s contribution to the world: The invention of the plastic green garbage bag 

by Canadian inventors, Harry Wasylyk and Larry Hansen, parodied below by Canadian comedian television personality, Rick Mercer.

1951 Polyester is developed and fashion was again changed with the introduction of polyester clothing, including suits and shirts, which were extremely popular, especially in the 1970’s. 

1954 Polystyrene Foam, a thermoplastic substance manufactured from petroleum, is developed. Also known as Thermocole or Styrophome, Polystyrene is one of the world’s most widely used plastics over several billion kilograms are manufactured each year. Although the material can be recycled, it is often found polluting outdoor environments.

  

In the 1960’s, the modern plastic shopping bag was invented by a Swedish engineer named Sten Gustaf Thulin. Although plastic bags are used all over the world today,  the production of plastic bags consumes vast quantities of non-renewable fossil fuels.

1979 Polar Fleece is invented and again we started rockin’ our new

plastic clothes like it was nobody’s business.

1990
 Warner Lambert develops Novon polymer and Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) launches Biopol. Both are bio-degradable plastics and made from renewable resources.

1997 Oceanographer, Charles Moore, discovers The Great Pacific Garbage Patch - a floating landfill twice the size of Texas made up mostly of plastic waste accumulates.  

2011 Manufacturers are currently using nanotechnology to create new polymer materials. Today, most plastics are made from petroleum and natural gas. These materials typically do not decompose and when or if they do, they release toxic chemicals into the environment. Toxins from plastics have been found in the blood streams of mammals and fish all over the world.

The repercussions of worldwide plastic production and consumption have already begun to catch up with us. At what point will we be willing to change? 

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for my next blog post, A Plastic-Free Christmas.

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