THE HISTORY OF PLASTICS
(Source : Summary of article on the British Plastics Federation website)The first mouldings from the natural polymer horn were made in the 17th century. In 1839 came the discovery of vulcanisation rubber by Charles Goodyear, and in the late 19th century cellulose was the first plastic to achieve real success....
Bakelite thermosetting materials were the first completely synthetic plastics invented in 1907. These resins have excellent heat resistance and low electrical conductivity. Applications are innumerable.
In the 1930s and 1940s came the first of many thermo plastics including: polyvinyl chloride, polyamide (nylon 66) and polystyrene as well as silicones. Since then, new polymers have been introduced every few years, including PTFE, polycarbonate, PET, polypropylene, polyurethane, ABS and acetal.
Advances in electronic and automotive engineering depend heavily on plastics. New materials and new applications are being found almost daily. including in cars and airplanes.
Now there is Plastinum…
PLASTIC RECYCLING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(Source : Summary of article on PackagingToday.com)By the late 1960s, plastics were increasingly widespread. This led to a massive problem with litter and waste disposal.
Unfortunately, recycling plastics proved difficult. The biggest problem with plastic recycling is that it is extremely costly and in many cases not effective. For this reason, the percentage of plastics recycled worldwide is estimated at less than 2%.
Research has been done on "biodegradable" plastics that break down with exposure to sunlight. So far, these plastics have proven too costly and limited for general use, and critics have pointed out that the only real problem they address is roadside litter. When such plastic materials are dumped into landfills, they can become "mummified" and persist for decades even if they are supposed to be biodegradable.