Were Garbage Bags Invented in Lindsay?
2025.31.1.1 Aerial view of the Union Carbide plant in Lindsay. Unknown date.
In the 1950s, the Union Carbide polyethylene plant in Montreal had a backlog of polyethylene pellets, and tasked Larry Hanson, general manager of the Lindsay plant with finding something profitable to do with them.
Larry came up with the idea of using the sausage casing machine to make a bag to contain garbage. He tested his idea in the Lindsay plant.
While Union Carbide conducted their patent research, they learned Harry Wasylyk in Winnipeg had also hit upon the idea of melting polyethylene pellets and making them into garbage bags for the local hospital.
Union Carbide decided to buy Wasylyk’s factory and process. The patent for garbage bags is jointly held by Harry and Larry.
Larry A. Hanson
2024.3.03.9.1 Plastic bag showing several of Union Carbide plants, including the main plant in Lindsay.
Born in Chicago, Lawrence A. Hanson worked for Western Electric Company, then Visking starting as extrusion machine operator in Chicago, promoted to foreman, shift supervisor, assistant area supervisor, supervisor and assistant plant superintendent in charge of all production departments.
March 1949 came to Lindsay as Plant Superintendent. 1956 promoted to General Manager and Vice-President, 1958 promoted to Division President.
Larry and his wife, Marie Hanson (1908-1973) had two daughters, Dianne and Carolyn
Joined company sports teams - bowling, golf and baseball
Stamp collector, fisherman, summer home on Sturgeon Lake
Kiwanis member
Died in Lindsay, September 1965, funeral service at St. Mary’s Church, buried at Queen of Heaven cemetery, Hillside, Illinois
History of Union Carbide in Lindsay
1948- October 23 - ground-breaking ceremonies for new plant with Leslie Frost
2025.8.2.3 Leaflet announcing the opening of the new Lindsay plant.
1949 - first employees hired and trained at plant on Hwy 36 in building which served as Club Valdora dance hall (This building later became Lindsay Paper Box Co., then a candy stick factory.)
1950 - ribbon cut to open the new Visking Ltd. industrial plant (180,000 square feet) at 150 Colborne Street East (Leslie Frost cut the silk ribbon), the second plant for Visking, making synthetic cellulose meat casings for sausage, ham, bologna, liverwurst, weiners (invented by Visking founder, Erwin Freund), replacing natural casings from sheep
1958 - January 1, taken over by Union Carbide Canada Ltd., employed 400, also began making plastic film bags, including garbage bags and bags for Lindsay Dry Cleaners
1973 - 500 employed
1985 - Union Carbide Canada Ltd. sold to Chicago-based Envirodyne Industries, Inc. (at time, made both food casings and polyethylene film products), 250 employed
1986 - business and plant sold to Viskase Canada Inc.
1988 - 163 employed
1989 - Union Carbide shuts down film product plant, cutting 90 jobs
1992 - employed 108
1998 - 19 jobs cut in July, 10 jobs cut in November, casing making moved to U.S.
1999 - Union Carbide purchased by Dow Chemical
2000 - Viskase - employed 65 in January when building was for sale - made heat shrinkable bags for food industry, Maple Leaf, Schneider’s, Butterball; 60 employed in April at time of 50th anniversary celebration; 55 in July when plant shut its doors after being purchased by Bemis Company Inc for $245 million.
2005 - Dow Chemical spent 6-8 weeks cleaning up property to remove polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the soil, storm drain system.
2016.90.1 Union Carbide’s company newsletter with a company sponsored bonspiel in Lindsay on the cover.
Union Carbide’s Impact on Lindsay
Sports for employees: golf, baseball, bowling, hockey, curling
Skating at Dunsford arena
Fishing derbies
Employees fundraised to make contributions to Lindsay Community Chest and Ross Memorial Hospital
Employees were blood donors
Employees helped to build Maryknoll Housing Development
Sources:
Visking News, ‘Tenth Anniversary’, 1959, Visking Company. (Kawartha Lakes Public Library archives).
Various articles from Lindsay Daily Post and Lindsay This Week.
http://thepublici.blogspot.com/2018/07/garbage-in-garbage-out.html
https://www.cbc.ca/2017/canadians-invented-the-garbage-bag-can-we-solve-the-mess-they-made-1.4024908
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