Complex sentence: That original Nalgene line included such items as jars, bottles, test tubes, graduated cylinders, and Petri dishes helpful to laboratory workers, chemists, and biologists because they were shatterproof and lighter than glass.
Split into simpler sentences: That original Nalgene line included jars, bottles, test tubes, graduated cylinders, Petri dishes, and the like. At the time of introduction, these products were helpful to laboratory workers such as chemists and biologists because they were shatterproof and lighter than glass.