History

• DuPont produced the first PET film in the early 1950s and called it Mylar. Its resistance to moisture, chemicals, odors, electricity, stretching and tearing, and extremes of temperature made it very popular in different industries, according to Wired.com.
  
  

Common Uses

• The properties of PET films have led to their use in packaging, graphics, audio and videotapes and electrical capacitors. Textile manufacturers also use PET in products like Dacron, Trevira and Terylene, according to the AZo Journal of Materials Online.
  
  

Considerations

• The use of PET in toy balloons and objects that people discard or lose can pose a hazard to the environment because it is very durable and does not easily degrade. It can accumulate in landfills and endanger marine organisms.