The history of plastic

What is plastic, how did it come into being and what was the basic idea behind its use? Planctons goes in search of clues – and ends up in the footsteps of “Ötzi” in South Tyrol. Because the “Iceman” from the Neolithic Age had already made use of plastic-like material more than 5000 years ago. He fixed his arrowheads with birch pitch, which was obtained as an adhesive from tree bark.

The first “real” plastic, on the other hand, came much later: in 1907, the Belgian chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland invented the fully synthetic form “Bakelite”. Plastic first came into contact with food in the 1930s, when the invention of polyethylene made it possible to produce beverage bottles, shopping bags and food containers, for example. Shortly afterwards, during the Second World War, plastic became a sought-after commodity, for example because it could be used to insulate cables on military ships.

Although it was already becoming increasingly known at that time that plastic production was harmful to the environment and health, the profit motive and, above all, the wide range of uses for plastic prevailed: attributes such as lightness, polyvalence, water and heat resistance were joined by cheap and comparatively low-energy production.

Due to its versatility, plastic is still a close companion in everyday life, although the disadvantages have been obvious for decades. But even with the change to sustainability, it’s hard to get started. Our tip: Take small steps at the beginning. Wear plastic not as a shopping bag in your hand, but on your nose: in the form of Planctons glasses made from 100% recycled ocean plastic.