VAUGHAN, Ontario—Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO), a leading global eye health company, has announced its exclusive ONE by ONE Recycling and Biotrue Eye Care Recycling programs have collected a total of 94,119,275 units, or 569,743 pounds, of used contact lenses, eyecare and lens care materials in the U.S. “Our unique recycling programs continue to be popular with environmentally conscious eyecare professionals, patients and consumers,” said Amy Butler, vice president, Global Environment, Health, Safety, and Sustainability, Bausch + Lomb. “The collective success of these programs proves that simple acts can have a significant impact and create lasting habits.”

Due to their small size and the type of plastic used to manufacture them, contact lenses, eyecare and lens care materials aren’t efficiently processed in standard recycling facilities and may inadvertently end up in landfills or waterways, according to the announcement. In the U.S., it is estimated that six to 10 metric tons of contact lenses end up in wastewater each year, which can pollute aquatic environments and eventually impact the human food supply. 

“Our practice has relied on Bausch + Lomb’s ONE by ONE Recycling and Biotrue Eye Care Recycling programs for years," said Jennifer Tsai, OD, Line Of Sight, New York. “It’s rewarding to be a part of an initiative that aligns with our practice’s focus on sustainability.”

Bausch + Lomb has a similar contact lens recycling program in Canada called Every Contact Counts. All three programs are made possible through a collaboration with TerraCycle,  a leader in the collection and recycling of hard-to-recycle waste, the company said.       

To learn more about the Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling program, click here and for information about the Biotrue Eye Care Recycling program, click here.