The Economic Times

In 1951, two Phillips Petroleum chemists discovered plastics that later found uses in everyday products; US production reached 136 billion pounds in 2025

In 1951, an intriguing twist of fate brought Robert Banks and Paul Hogan to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where they stumbled upon significant plastics. Although their creation faced hurdles in initial market uptake, the 1956 Hula-Hoop phenomenon ignited interest. The medical field soon embraced high-density polyethylene for baby bottles, recognizing its cleanliness.