Have you noticed how plastic is a material present in many people's lives - and probably also in their daily lives? With a simple walk around your home, you will find the most diverse objects made from this material, such as food containers, shower, sandals and toys. But despite being so familiar, do you know how it was created? And how does it impact our daily lives? For you to better understand this past, present and future, we have prepared an article with fun facts about plastic!
How did plastic come about?
In the 19th century, hunting was permitted and some animal materials, such as elephant ivory, were widely used in the manufacture of various types of objects, such as piano keys, chandeliers and umbrellas. But the excess of this practice caused the elephants to start to be threatened with extinction, also compromising the industrial processes. Thus, realizing that hunting would have no future, an American manufacturer of snooker balls offered $ 10 to anyone capable of inventing a synthetic alternative to ivory, so that he could maintain his production.
It was then that an American amateur inventor, John Wesley Hyatt, accepted the proposal and started the experiment, with materials made of cotton and nitric acid, originating a compound called celluloid - yellowish and malleable material, which can take different forms when heated or compressed. Subsequently, Hyatt developed the production and application of celluloid, giving rise to the first commercial plastic.
Plastic curiosities: applications
Not long after, plastic was the solution to a problem faced on American trains. During these trips, the use of community coffee cups was common, but they were banned after the government understood that this habit contributed to the spread of disease. In this way, disposable cups were created, which were more hygienic and solved a public health issue.
Later, plastic helped to develop several other activities. In the film industry, for example, it was used to replace paper films, as it is stronger and more malleable, facilitating production and distribution. Civil construction, on the other hand, benefited from a synthetic resin (bakelite), which was durable, easy to mold and with insulating properties, ideal for installations, sockets and light sockets.
In the first half of the 20th century, the plastic industry made great leaps, with several variations of this material, such as nylon, polyester and lycra, which were more practical and low-cost fabrics, and decorative laminates (formica), which were widely used in the production of kitchen tables and cabinets. Because it is light, resistant and versatile, plastic gained popularity among consumers and its contributions did not stop there.
More recently, around the 1960s, plastic was also very important in the production of components for spaceships due to its low weight and versatility, in addition to music, photography, video, toys and decoration, including creating new aesthetic standards. There were so many contributions from plastic that it would be impossible to talk about all of them, but some of them deserve to be highlighted: the automotive and food industries.
Lighter, stronger and more economical cars
Older automobiles were almost entirely made of metallic materials. For this reason, they were very heavy cars and, consequently, needed more energy during their production process.
When plastic parts were introduced to the automobile industry, around the 80s, automobiles gained greater mechanical, thermal and chemical resistance. On the other hand, they have become much lighter, consuming less energy in manufacturing. With the reduction of weight, the cars also became more economical, using less fuel and decreasing the emission of polluting gases in the atmosphere.
Better food conservation and transport
In the past, some tasks, such as transporting meat from the butcher to the home, were carried out with the aid of unsuitable materials. To wrap this type of food, for example, people commonly used newspaper sheets. But the contact of the flesh with the ink on the paper shouldn't be at all healthy, should it?
With the use of plastic, these activities have become more hygienic and safer - avoiding contamination of food with the help of materials such as plastic film and the zip bag. But not only that: it also contributed significantly to increase the durability of food. And today, there are even more advanced technological mechanisms, such as the antibacterial protection shield, which enhance these benefits.
The turn of the millennium
As we know, nothing in the world is perfect. Around the 2000s, it was realized that the production of plastic implied some consequences for the environment. This was because many factories did not pay attention to the waste generated by their processes and did not give them the proper treatment. In addition, people consumed these products exaggeratedly, without worrying about proper disposal.
Since then, companies are becoming aware of how important it is to change this scenario in order to have a more sustainable world and have been looking for solutions to optimize their production cycles. Consumers, in turn, are reducing the use of plastic, learning recycling and reuse techniques and discovering more efficient products.
Today's plastic
We still have a long way to go, but the next step is already very clear: the Circular Economy. The theme was highlighted in 2019 at the largest plastic fair in the world: the K Trade Fair. There, several speakers stressed the importance of moving towards an economy that knows how to make better use of its resources. For this, we will need to produce more from existing materials, in addition to returning the material to the production cycle after disposal - thus building a more sustainable future.
And you can do your part! Plastic film, for example, is a material that can be recycled in a very simple way, just follow the instructions recommendations from our blog.
Now that you’ve discovered some fun facts about plastic, want to know more about this topic? Then check out our article Myths and truths.