Origin Overview

>1957 The beginning of the plastic bag we know so well, the first sandwich bags are sold in grocery stores.

>1966 Plastic bags used to package bread take over 25% of the market. In the same year, plastic produce bags are introduced in grocery stores.

>1969 The New York City Sanitation Department demonstrates that plastic garbage bag curbside pickup is cleaner, safer, and quieter than metal trash can pickup. A shift to plastic can liners appears among consumers.

>1973 The first commercial system for manufacturing plastic grocery bags becomes operational.

>1974/75 Retailing giants like Sears, J.C. Penney Montgomery Ward, Jordan Marsh, Allied, Federated, and Hills make switches to plastic merchandise bags.

>1977 The plastic grocery bag is introduced to the supermarket industry as an alternative to paper bags.

>1982 large supermarkets, Kroger and Safeway start to use replace paper bags with polyethylene bags.

>1990 recycling programs form to collect bags and to promote awareness about accumulating waste.