From the invention of plastic in the late 1800s to the introduction of Tupperware® in the 1940s to the latest innovations in easy-dipping ketchup packets, plastics have played an integral role in smart packaging solutions that help us do more with less. Whether it’s your new electronic gadget, your favorite beauty product, or what you’re eating for lunch, plastic packaging helps protect your purchases until you’re ready to use them, and that helps to reduce waste and save energy. 1862

The first manmade plastic was unveiled by Alexander Parkes at the Great International Exhibition in London. This material – dubbed Parkesine – was derived from cellulose. Yes – the first plastic was bio-based! It could be molded when heated and retained its shape when cooled. Early 1900’s

Swiss textile engineer Dr. Jacques Edwin Brandenberger created Cellophane, a clear layer of packaging for any product – the first fully flexible, water impermeable wrap. Brandenberger originally aimed to apply a clear flexible film to cloth to make it stain-resistant. 1930

Richard Drew, a young 3M engineer, invented Scotch® Cellulose Tape. Later to be renamed Cellophane Tape, it was an attractive way for grocers and bakers to seal packages. 1933

Ralph Wiley, a Dow Chemical lab worker, accidentally discovered another plastic: polyvinylidene chloride which became known as SaranTM. The plastic was first used to protect military equipment and later for food packaging. Saran would cling to almost any material – bowls, dishes, pots and even itself – and became a terrific tool for maintaining the freshness of food at home. 1946

Tupperware® was developed in the USA by Earl Silas Tupper who cleverly promoted his line of polyethylene food containers through a network of housewives who sold Tupperware as a means of making money. Tupperware and other plastic containers with an airtight seal are one of the most notable products in plastic packaging history. 1946

The first major commercial plastic spray bottle was developed by Dr. Jules Montenier, creator of “Stopette”, an underarm deodorant that was dispensed by squeezing its plastic bottle. As sponsor of the popular “What’s My Line” television show, Stopette triggered an explosion in the use of plastic bottles. 1950

The familiar black or green plastic garbage bag (made from polyethylene) was invented by Canadians Harry Wasylyk and Larry Hansen. The new garbage bags, intended for commercial use, were first sold to the Winnipeg General Hospital. They later became popular for home use. 1954

Robert W. Vergobbi patented zipper storage bags. Minigrip licensed them, intending to use them as pencil bags. But it became apparent that the bags could do much more, and Ziploc® bags were introduced in 1968 as food storage bags.The first baggies and sandwich bags on a roll were introduced 1959

Wisconsin manufacturer Geuder, Paeschke and Frey produced the first licensed character lunch box: a lithographed Mickey Mouse on an oval tin with a pull-out tray inside. Plastic was used for the handle and then for the entire box starting in the 1960s. 1960

Engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes created Bubble Wrap® at their company, aptly named Sealed Air Corporation. 1986

In the mid-1950s, Swanson® TV Dinners capitalized on two post-war trends: the popularity of time-saving devices and fascination with the television (more than 10 million TV dinners were sold during the first year of national distribution). The aluminum trays were replaced with plastic, microwavable trays in 1986. 1988

The Society of the Plastics Industry introduced voluntary resin identification coding system that provides a consistent system for identifying plastics resins used in packaging containers. 1996

Salad-in-a-bag packaging (metallocene-catalyzed polyolefins) was introduced, helping to reduce food waste and making it easier to purchase fresh produce. 2000

Flexible plastic tubes for yogurt became available, making it possible to enjoy a tasty, calcium-rich snack on the go. 2000

Polylactic acid (PLA) made from corn is introduced to the packaging market, bringing back bio-based plastic to packaging.. 2007

The two liter plastic beverage bottle and the one gallon plastic milk jug reach a milestone in “lightweighting” – both containers shed a third of their weight since they became widely used in the 1970s. 2008

Plastic bottles achieve a 27% recycling rate, reclaiming 2.4 billion pounds of plastic. (More pounds of plastic bottles have been recycled every year since 1990!) And polyethylene plastic bags and wraps achieve a 13% recycling rate, reclaiming 832 million pounds of plastic. (The recycling rate for polyethylene plastic bags and wraps has doubled since 1995.) 2010

Metallyte^TM films were introduced to help keep sharp contents (coffee beans, grains, noodles, croutons) fresher by reducing packaging tears. The new films are also lighter than foil-based designs. 2010

Heinz® Dip & Squeeze^TM, the first ketchup packaging innovation in 42 years, is a dual function package offering two ways to enjoy ketchup: peel back the lid for easy dipping, or tear off the tip to squeeze onto food. The new packaging makes eating on-the-go more fun and convenient. ]]> http://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/2010/05/plastic-innovations-in-packaging-through-the-decades/feed/ 0 http://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/2010/04/plastic-bag-recycling-hits-record-high/ http://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/2010/04/plastic-bag-recycling-hits-record-high/#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:17:48 +0000 mckaym http://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/?p=2860 A new report shows that Americans are recycling plastic bags and wraps more often.

1. Get smart. It takes just a few clicks of the computer mouse to find out which recyclables are accepted in your area and where they can be taken. Today, more than 80 percent of U.S. households have access to a recycling program, and the majority of them collect a variety of recyclables, including many plastics.
2. Post the list. Keep the list of recyclables in a highly visible area, such as on the refrigerator or attached to your recycling bin.
3. Check the neck. Virtually all communities collect plastic bottles. A bottle is any container with a neck that’s smaller than its base. This includes everything from beverage bottles to milk jugs to jars for peanut butter, mayonnaise, cooking oil and salad dressing. Make it a game by asking kids to identify bottles and other recyclables as you shop and unpack your groceries.
4. Bring bags back. Many large grocers and retailers collect used plastic bags and product wraps for recycling. Make sure kids know that this category includes shopping bags, newspaper bags and wraps from bread, bathroom tissue, diapers and cases of beverages. Kids can help you collect items in a plastic bag and deposit on return trips to the store.
5. Think outside the kitchen. Ask kids to look for items that can be recycled from areas outside the kitchen, such as bathrooms, laundry rooms and storage areas (be sure to give instructions that cleaning products and bottles in the garage are not to be touched).
6. Set targets. Set tangible goals for your kids to reach each week. For example, you can aim to throw out one less bag of trash per week.
7. Keep a sticker chart. This works particularly well with younger children. Every time your child remembers to recycle, add a sticker to his or her chart. When enough stickers are collected, award a favorite toy or treat.
8. Let kids keep the change. If you take your recyclables to a recycling facility, let your kids pocket any profits you receive. The more plastic bottles they collect, the more money they will receive – a great incentive!
9. Stay with the program. If you notice that your child is repeatedly forgetting to recycle, continue to remind him or her how all recyclables – especially plastics – are too valuable to waste and should be reused and recycled. And remind them that by recycling those plastic water bottles, they are giving them a “second life” to make things like lumber and decking for homes, car bumpers, fleece jackets, even their next favorite t-shirt!
10. Set a good example. Make sure you are following the recycling rules as well! Your kids will learn by watching you recycle.

Plenty of kids will recognize this YouTube hit about recycling sung by the spokesdinosaur Recycle Rex. And from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood® to Sesame Street®, children continue to be exposed to messages about recycling starting in early childhood. Is this early education influencing behavior for the better? We think so.

Recently in Denver, Colorado, high school students took matters into their own hands and responded to the first annual Global Call to Action Challenge, sponsored by the Pearson Foundation and PeaceJam. The Challenge, which encourages youth to positively impact their communities and document their achievements in digital film or writing, inspired students at Ponderosa High School to design a recycling project that reduced the school’s waste by 70 percent and energy consumption by 14 percent.

After conducting an energy audit of the school to help identify opportunities to reduce waste, the students worked with community organizations to hold an electronics recycling drive where they collected more than 120,000 pounds of unwanted equipment and kept it out of landfills. Thrilled with the success of the students’ efforts, organizers of the Challenge commended their dedication and achievements.

Today, many organizations – from nonprofits to federal and state government – are taking steps to capture the enthusiasm of this age group. Below are a few examples of online resources:

• State of Pensylvania – Just for Kids Recycling
• The Association of Postconsumer Plastics Recyclers -Kids Recycling Zone
• EPA’s Environmental Kids Club – Garbage and Recycling
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Children and youth everywhere are able to adopt recycling as a cause of their own. Whether they are participating in school recycling drives, creating craft projects with recycled materials, or making sure their parents remember to recycle their plastics, cans and newspapers, today’s young people are standing up for the environment.