How have plastics changed the world?
Plastics are long chain organic molecules that chemists call polymers. They have repeating structural components that give them interesting functionality, and these products of modern chemistry have transformed our world forever. Many of the objects that we touch everyday are made out of plastics, and if they didn’t exist much of the technology that we enjoy would not be possible.
Previous to the discovery and synthesis of plastics or polymers humans used natural materials to make things. Wood, metal, natural fibers and rubber were the only choices, and I can assure you that if this were the case now, modern civilization, as we know it, would not be possible. Just think of all of the things that you use everyday that are made out of plastics. Your TV, appliances, automobile, computer, printer, toothbrush, and many kitchen gadgets are made out of plastics or have them as part of their structures. The reason that plastics have taken the place of metal and wood these days is that they’re inexpensive to make and are easy to form into useful shapes.
There are many modern items that wouldn’t have been possible without plastics. The vinyl record, CD, DVD, ballpoint pen, artificial Christmas tree, many toys, eyeglasses, and many beverage and food containers and even plumbing pipes, vinyl siding, floor tiles, shower curtains, window frames, and furniture. Although these things could be made out of something else, plastics made them affordable.
Although Parkesine is considered the first man-made plastic, Bakelite is the first plastic that became popular in the early 1900’s. Bakelite is a product formed from a reaction of phenol and formaldehyde. This plastic is brittle but strong enough to be used in many ways. It’s amazing because Bakelite is resistant to electricity, heat and chemicals, which made it perfect for use in automobiles.
The most prolific plastic is Polystyrene. This inexpensive material is used in a great many items of modern life, including plastic toys. Its main attribute is that it’s cheap to make and manufacture things out of.
Most plastics are synthesized from petrochemicals and are formed into parts by use of heat and pressure, essentially a stamping process that can turn out thousands of parts per minute using machines, thus the reason that plastics are employed to make things.
Unfortunately, plastics have also changes humans in a negative way. The reasons for this are toxicity and environmental impact. Bisphenol-A is used to make polycarbonate, a very durable and useful plastic used in electronic applications. Bisphenol-A is an endocrine disruptor that can get into food supplies and cause all sorts of health problems including inflammation and heart disease not to mention fetal development problems.
The other main problem with plastics is that they persist in the environment. In other words they don’t decompose, at least not for thousands of years. Plastic bottles and bags have shown up in the oceans all over the planet and are causing all sorts of problems with disposal in landfills. Some plastics decompose into their respective monomers, which are the building blocks of polymer manufacturing. These chemicals are particularly toxic to both animals and humans.
The bottom line is that plastics represent the good and the bad of modern technology. They have made many things less expensive to manufacture but at the same time they represent a environmental nightmare.
Thanks for reading.