Plastic wrap
Commonly seen through the object
Food, the inside of containers, items which need to be preserved
Lowest appx price
$2.27
Highest appx price
$75
Transparent material
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)- but now non PVC alternatives are being sold due to concerns about the transfer of plasticizers from PVC into food (such as polyolefin shrink film)
Invention
In 1933, Ralph Wiley (a college student) accidentally discovered polyvinylidene chloride while cleaning glassware in Dow Chemical Lab. After it was discovered, it began to be used on fighter planes, cars, and other vehicles to keep them safe from environmental damage. After World War II it was approved for food packaging and was commonly used as a food wrap by 1949.
