Bausch + Lomb Reports More Than 65 Million Units of Contact Lens, Eye Care and Lens Care Materials Recycled Through ONE by ONE and Biotrue® Eye Care Recycling Programs
“Contact lenses, eye care and lens care materials are often not processed in standard recycling facilities due to their small size and the type of plastic used to manufacture them.
Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO) (“Bausch + Lomb”), a leading global eye health company dedicated to helping people see better to live better, today announced its exclusive ONE by ONE and Biotrue® Eye Care Recycling programs have recycled a total of 65.8 million units, or 397,194 pounds, of used contact lenses, eye care and lens care materials, which is equivalent to the weight of three commercial-sized airplanes.
“Contact lenses, eye care and lens care materials are often not processed in standard recycling facilities due to their small size and the type of plastic used to manufacture them. As a result, they can potentially end up in landfills or waterways and contribute to plastic pollution,” said Amy Butler, vice president, Global Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability, Bausch + Lomb. “We created the ONE by ONE program and later extended our efforts with the Biotrue® Eye Care Recycling program to provide eye care practitioners and their patients with a way to properly recycle these used materials and help prevent them from ending up in our environment. Now, with nearly 13,000 eye doctors’ offices participating as official Bausch + Lomb recycling centers and contributions from consumers all over the nation, we can take these once forgotten waste streams and use the millions of materials to create various post-consumer products like picnic tables and benches.”
The ONE by ONE Recycling program has collected more than 65 million units of used contact lenses, top foils and blister packs since its launch in 2016. The Biotrue® Eye Care Recycling program, the first and only eye care recycling program in the United States that launched in 2021, has collected more than 440,000 eye drop single dose units, lens cases and lens solution caps, as well as Biotrue® Hydration Boost lubricant eye drops multi-dose bottles. (Lens solution bottles can be recycled through standard recycling in accordance with local recycling guidelines).
“The Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE and Biotrue Eye Care recycling programs are complementary and an integral part of our practice’s approach to sustainability as they allow us to contribute to the collection of these materials for proper recycling. My patients also appreciate hearing about these programs during their appointments, and many of them bring their used eye health materials to our practice to help minimize the waste these materials generate. Through these Bausch + Lomb programs, my practice can help make a difference in our environment,” said Gina Wesley, O.D., Complete Eye Care, Medina, Minn.
The programs are made possible through a collaboration with TerraCycle®, a world leader in the collection and repurposing of hard-to-recycle waste.
In addition to the United States, Bausch + Lomb has a similar contact lens recycling program in Canada called Every Contact Counts. For more information on the Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling program, visit www.bauschrecycles.com. For more information on the Biotrue® Eye Care Recycling program, visit www.biotrue.com/terracycle.
About the Biotrue® Eye Care Recycling Program
The Bausch + Lomb Biotrue® Eye Care Recycling program is the first and only eye care recycling program in the United States. This program allows consumers who participate to properly recycle all brands of their eye drop single dose units, lens cases and lens solution caps*, as well as Biotrue® Hydration Boost lubricant eye drops multi-dose bottles. Once consumers collect these items, they can be mailed to TerraCycle using a pre-paid shipping label. When the waste arrives at the TerraCycle facility, it is cleaned and melted into hard plastic pellets that can be used to make new recycled products.
About the ONE by ONE Recycling Program
The Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling program is the first and only sponsored contact lens recycling program in the United States. This award-winning program collects used contact lenses, top foil and opened plastic blister packs from any brand and is available to contact lens wearers and eye care professionals. Nearly 13,000 eye care practices are registered as official recycling centers of the program. To participate, contact lens wearers can bring their used contact lenses and packaging to one of these practices, which collects the used lens materials in a custom recycling bin provided by Bausch + Lomb. Once the bin is filled, the optometry practice ships the materials to TerraCycle for proper recycling using a Bausch + Lomb pre-paid shipping label.
About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the gift of sight for millions of people around the world – from the moment of birth through every phase of life. Its comprehensive portfolio of more than 400 products includes contact lenses, lens care products, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Founded in 1853, Bausch + Lomb has a significant global research and development, manufacturing and commercial footprint with approximately 13,000 employees and a presence in nearly 100 countries. Bausch + Lomb is headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario with corporate offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.bausch.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Forward-looking Statements
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*Lens solution bottles can be recycled through standard recycling in accordance with local recycling guidelines.
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