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VAUGHAN, Ontario–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Bausch + Lomb Corp. announced its ONE by ONE and Biotrue® Eye Care Recycling programs have collected 84,343,540 units, or 510,116 pounds, of used contact lenses, eye care and lens care materials in the U.S., which is greater than the weight of the Statue of Liberty.
“Eye care professionals, patients and consumers have helped us collect hundreds of millions of these used materials through our recycling programs over the years, making a positive impact in the world. In conjunction with our other sustainable business practices, we continue to do all we can to help reduce waste and promote environmental responsibility throughout our organization,” said Amy Butler, vice president, Global Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability, Bausch + Lomb.
Contact lenses, eye care and lens care materials are typically not processed in standard recycling facilities due to their small size and the type of plastic used to manufacture them. As a result, these materials are frequently diverted to landfills or make their way to waterways where they break down into microplastics and threaten aquatic animals and their environments. In the U.S., an estimated six to ten metric tons of contact lens packaging waste ends up in wastewater each year. Eye health packaging materials collected through the Bausch + Lomb recycling programs are used to create various post-consumer products like picnic tables and benches.
“The Bausch + Lomb recycling programs are an important part of our practice’s efforts to reduce waste and practice sustainability,” said Jennifer Tsai, OD, LINE OF SIGHT, New York. “It’s gratifying to know that the materials we collect in partnership with our patients are repurposed rather than ending up in a landfill or ocean.”
The ONE by ONE Recycling program has collected nearly 84 million used contact lenses, blister packs and top foils since the program’s launch in November 2016. The Biotrue Eye Care Recycling program, which launched in April 2021, has collected nearly 825,000 eye drop single dose units, lens cases, lens solution caps, as well as all Biotrue-branded eye drop bottles2. In addition to the U.S., Bausch + Lomb has a similar contact lens recycling program in Canada called Every Contact Counts.
Bausch + Lomb is committed to implementing, maintaining and enhancing sustainable business practices that support customers, consumers, eye care professionals, patients, employees and communities around the world. Its impact initiatives are measured against several key environmental metrics called “FEWW” – fuel, energy, water and waste. Each Bausch + Lomb facility has annualized goals against these metrics to harness new opportunities and evolve in a sustainable way as it continues its mission of helping people see better to live better. Visit www.bausch.com/impact for more information.
