The word plastic originates from the Greek language; it means ‘fit for moulding’ in Greek. Materials with naturally plastic qualities have been used for thousands of years. Some historians trace the invention of modern plastic to the English chemist Alexander Parkes, when he made imitation ivory combs. His experiment began by adding nitric acid to cellulose. He then used camphor to shape the resulting material, cellulose nitrate. He called it Parkesine. In the 19th century various types of plastics were introduced in the market. Bakelite, a kind of plastic, was invented in 1907 by Leo Baekeland.
On March 27th, 1933, the first industrially practical polyethylene synthesis was discovered by Eric Fawcett and Reginald Gibson, in North-wich, England. It was easily moulded, and was used from 1939 as a cable insulator, and in radar components. The first polythene household product was a washing-up bowl, made in 1948.
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