100,000 contact lenses recycled in one year

Over 100,000 pieces of contact lens waste has been diverted from landfill since July 2017 — a milestone the Bausch + Lomb Recycling Programme is celebrating soon after its one-year anniversary in Australia.

In partnership with recycling pioneer TerraCycle, eye health company Bausch + Lomb launched the Bausch + Lomb Recycling Programme in 2017 to help Australians keep all brands of contact lenses, lens cases and blister packs out of landfill.

The program enables Australians to collect contact lens waste and ship it free of charge to TerraCycle, who will shred, wash and melt it down into a sustainable raw material to use in manufacturing as an alternative to virgin plastic. Additionally, for each kilogram of contact lens waste sent to TerraCycle, Bausch + Lomb donates $1 to the Optometry Giving Sight foundation.

Everyone in Australia can recycle contact lens waste in the Bausch + Lomb Recycling Programme. Simply visit www.terracycle.com.au/bauschrecycling to create an account, then collect your contact lenses, lens cases and blister packs in any old cardboard box or container. Once full, log onto your TerraCycle account, download a free Australia Post shipping label, stick it on the box and drop it at your nearest Australia Post Office.

The Bausch + Lomb Recycling Programme also runs a national network of public drop-off locations made up of environmentally conscious optometry stores. One such store is Point Cook & Sanctuary Lakes Eyecare in Point Cook, Victoria, with optometrist Jenkin Yau saying joining the program was an important way for his store to contribute to the community.

“We felt it was important to become a public drop-off location for the program as our customers like to do the right think socially and environmentally,” Yau said. “Additionally, the generous donations from Bausch + Lomb to Optometry Giving Sight made the decision very easy.”

Jayson Chong, an optometrist at Bailey Nelson Claremont in Perth, said collecting locals’ contact lens waste helps his team champion sustainability, noting, “Running an eco-friendly business helps us build a good reputation and promote workplace satisfaction for our staff.”

He added, “While most of our customers are educated about the environment, many are surprised to learn that we can also recycle contact lenses!” To spread the word, Chong and his team stick a small note about the Bausch + Lomb Recycling Programme on every contact lens product sold in-store.

“It’s exciting to see more and more optometry retailers join the Bausch + Lomb Recycling Programme,” said Maria Tran, Brand Manager, Bausch + Lomb. “We’re confident that, together, we’re making a difference to our world.”

“We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone with Bausch + Lomb and the program’s collectors — it’s a huge win for the environment,” added Jean Bailliard, General Manager of TerraCycle Australia & New Zealand. “We’re really driven by the commitment of companies like Bausch + Lomb who are dedicated to tackling waste.”