The rise and fall of plastic

The 1960s was a memorable decade. Labelled the ‘Swinging Sixties’, in reference to the relaxation of taboos relating to race and sex, it was a revolt against social norms.

It also marked the first moon landing, and the arrival of the humble, invasive plastic bag. Similar to a garden weed, plastic quietly entered our world and caused destruction in ways no-one could have imagined.

Early in the 20th century, Belgium-American chemist Leo Baekeland was a key figure in the creation of the plastic revolution; he invented Bakelite, the world’s first synthetic plastic composed of large molecules (none of which are found in nature).

Due to its versatility and relatively low cost, plastic largely made from petrochemicals was used in everything from milk bottles to aircraft.

In 1953 two German chemists discovered how to make high-density polyethylene; 12 years later, Swedish company Celloplast designed the first ‘T-shirt’ plastic bag, soon to be the universally accepted grocery bag. By the end of 1990, the majority of supermarkets worldwide were convinced of the economic benefits and had switched from paper bags to plastic.

Fast-forward 20 years, the global dominance of plastic and its slow decomposition means the environment is seriously polluted. The resulting contamination is one of the biggest issues facing our oceans and waterways. Eight million, eventually disintegrating into small pieces that in most cases never disappears. Several countries have banned plastic bags, while others like Britain have imposed a levy on them.