Did you know that the end to end trail of waste generated annually in the US from contact lens packaging could circle the Earth over 3 times?
One of the biggest concerns with contact lens disposal is the creation of microplastics. When plastic is exposed to the elements, it slowly begins to break down. Wildlife of all kinds consume the plastic allowing it to enter the food chain including humans.
Contact lenses and their packaging are not recyclable through municipal programs mainly due to their size, but now Bausch + Lomb has partnered with recycling company TerraCycle to offer ONE by ONE Recycling Program. Contact wearers are now able to recycle not only their Bausch + Lomb contacts and blister packs but all other contact lens brands as well. These used contact lenses and blister packs will be recycled into sustainable products and materials. The ONE by ONE program is free and easy. Each day, participants place their contacts, blister packs and the top foil into a small cardboard box. Once it is full, participants can bring it to Professional Eye Care Center, 7225 N. Caldwell, Niles, IL. or other local participanting optometrists. If prefered, participants can also print out a free shipping label and take it to any UPS location. Free Shipping Label For every pound received, $1 will be donated to Optometry Giving Sight, an organization that targets the prevention of blindness globally. A great program made even greater.
- Never flush your contacts: flushing contact lenses in the toilet or sink is a no-no due to their size. They can easily slip through filters at wastewater treatment plants.
- Never throw your contacts in the garbage: The contacts will end up in a landfill.
- Never put your contacts into your home recycling bin: recycling facilities typically cannot handle contact lens so again they end up in landfills.
