Plastic has gone from being a revolutionary material that was invented with good intentions to an unsustainable single-use function of consumerism , with global supply chains driving consumption .
TIMELINE
A history of of plastic in the supply chain
Plastic has gone from being a revolutionary material that was invented with good intentions to an unsustainable single-use function of consumerism , with global supply chains driving consumption .
1860s
Plastic invented to thwart ivory trade
In 1869 , the first synthetic polymer was created . John Wesley Hyatt responded to a New York firm ’ s offer of US $ 10,000 for an alternative to ivory , which at the time meant that around 20,000 elephants each year were being slaughtered .
1950s
Plastic introduced to food sector
The birth of fast food – driven by firms such as McDonalds – and the rise of plastics manufacturing in turn gave rise to a takeaway culture that saw people use plastic cutlery on a global scale . It was the start of unsustainable waste that continues to plague the world today .
1970s
Plastic bags become commonplace
Like all plastic , plastic bags begin life as fossil fuels and end up as non-decomposable waste in landfills and the ocean . But in the 1970s , supermarket chains bought them in their billions , and only recently introduced ‘ bags for life ’ as a replacement .
16 November 2022