Collaborating with Plastic Bank, CooperVision funds the collection and recycling of ocean-bound plastic equivalent to the weight of plastic used in participating products sold and distributed across what is now 29 countries throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
 
  
ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Showcasing its commitment to sustainability, CooperVision has announced that its net plastic neutral contact lens initiative has resulted in the prevention of the equivalent of more than 360 million plastic bottles from entering the oceans. In addition, the company’s innovative partnership with Plastic Bank has been captured through a new mini-documentary series, with the first episode now available. The news from the company coincided with World Cleanup Day, Sept. 20, which is dedicated to uniting millions of people, organizations and governments to tackle global waste and help create a more sustainable world.

CooperVision pioneered the plastic neutral model for the contact lens industry in 2021 and has continued to expand the global initiative’s scope by adding the Czech Republic and Slovakia earlier this month. Collaborating with Plastic Bank, CooperVision funds the collection and recycling of ocean-bound plastic equivalent to the weight of plastic used in participating products sold and distributed across what is now 29 countries throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

“As the first manufacturer to provide a full range of plastic neutral soft contact lenses, we are transforming and improving the well-being of People + Planet,” said Aldo Zucaro, senior director, corporate responsibility for CooperCompanies. “Thanks to our Plastic Bank partnership, the eyecare professionals who prescribe CooperVision plastic neutral contact lenses—and the people who wear them—embody the spirit and impact of World Cleanup Day year-round.”

 
 In addition to the environmental benefits, CooperVision’s net plastic neutrality initiative elevates the lives of Plastic Bank collector members in hundreds of coastal communities.
  
In addition to the environmental benefits, CooperVision’s net plastic neutrality initiative elevates the lives of Plastic Bank collector members in hundreds of coastal communities—the subject of the new docuseries. In exchange for the ocean-bound plastic waste they collect, adults receive credits to purchase goods and services, including health, work and life insurance, digital connectivity, grocery vouchers, school supplies and more. A vision care program provides vision screenings and vouchers for complimentary eye examinations and glasses for eligible Plastic Bank collection members.

The first of five mini-documentaries, which features a day in the life of Ni Luh Made Kariasih—one of Plastic Bank’s collector members in Bali, Indonesia—can be viewed at CooperVision & Sustainability. Additional episodes highlighting different aspects of the plastic neutrality initiative with Plastic Bank will premiere over the coming months, the company said.

For more information about CooperVision’s commitment to sustainability, click here.