In the 1940s, we had both the plastics and the machines to mass-produce plastic products. Injection molding machines, which are now standard equipment in the manufacture of plastics, converted raw plastic powders or granules in a single process, in a one-time process, into a molded and finished product. Needless to say, all the marketing of the late 1940s worked. Plastic items became coveted for home decor and furnishings, such as formica tables and vinyl-covered chairs, televisions with plastic covers and wall art.
The industry experienced growth of more than 15 percent between 1946 and 1960, and by 1960, plastic had surpassed aluminum in production. In 1907, Leo Baekeland invented bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, meaning that it contained no molecules found in nature. Baekeland had been looking for a synthetic substitute for shellac, a natural electrical insulator, to meet the needs of the rapidly electrifying United States. Bakelite was not only a good insulator, but it was also durable, heat resistant and, unlike celluloid, ideal for mass mechanical production.
Marketed as “the material of a thousand uses,” bakelite can be molded or molded into just about anything, providing endless possibilities. From the circularity of plastics in healthcare to changing modes of recycling, experts reveal new perspectives on plastics. Shampoo bottles and soda bottles went from being heavy glass to lightweight plastic, paper bags were replaced with plastic ones, and food containers were made from styrofoam. However, were they going to spend it on plastic? While most homes had plastics or nylon stockings, they weren't trusted and there wasn't much demand.
The supreme symbol of the plastic waste problem is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which has often been described as a Texas-sized swirl of plastic garbage floating in the Pacific Ocean. In addition to more plastic manufacturing companies, more refineries were built to convert crude oil into plastic across the country. Needless to say, plastics were becoming the norm for both domestic and commercial use, but it wasn't until 1939, when World War II broke out, that plastic production took off. Although the history of plastics is rooted in ancient times, it wasn't until the late 19th century that their use experienced significant growth, thanks to the development of synthetic plastics.
To win over consumers, plastic manufacturers launched a public relations campaign and worked with women's magazines such as Good Housekeeping and House Beautiful to write stories and dedicate issues to plastic household items. Flexible plastic screens: organic light-emitting diodes are placed on a plastic sheet to create electronic devices with flexible screens. However, the incredible success of plastic can be directly attributed to the Second World War, when there was an enormous need for durable, easy-to-produce supplies, and to how advances made during the war led to the plastics we still use nowadays.
