Today, plastic is used in almost everything, from shopping bags and bottles to chairs and cars. Plastic has conquered the world. But do you know how it was first made?
The first man-made plastic was created by Alexander Parkes, who introduced it at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in London. It was called Parkesine, and it was made from plant materials. Once heated, it could be molded, and it held its shape when cooled. Also, it could be made colored or transparent. However, it was too expensive to produce for common use.
In the 19th century, billiards (a game played on a cloth-covered table) was so popular that a lot of elephants were being killed for their ivory, which was used to make billiard balls. So, people tried to find a substitute. A U.S. billiard ball company offered a prize of $10, 000 to the person who could design the best substitute for natural ivory. In 1866, John Wesley Hyatt created Celluloid while trying to win the prize. Although he failed to win, Celluloid was later used to make many products, including false teeth, piano keys, and ping pong balls.
In 1909, Leo Backeland created Bakelite. Made entirely of artificial materials, it was the first true plastic. It was inexpensive, and it kept its shape when heated. Soon, it was being used in many things, including electrical products and jewelry. Since then, many other plastics have been developed.
Today, most plastics are produced from non-natural materials made from petroleum. They are light, flexible, strong. and cheap. Despite all these advantages, there is one problem: plastic waste breaks down slowly and toxic chemicals can leak from it. Therefore, people are trying to develop less harmful plastics.
