Bausch + Lomb Recycles Over 625,000 Pounds of Eye Care Materials

Bausch + Lomb announced a sustainability milestone: its 'ONE by ONE' and 'Biotrue Eye Care' recycling programs have collectively diverted more than 103 million units, or 625,026 pounds, of used contact lenses and eye care materials from landfills and waterways in the United States.

“These award-winning recycling programs continue to drive a positive environmental impact, offering eye care professionals, patients and consumers a way to properly recycle used eye health materials,” Amy Butler, Vice President of Global Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability at Bausch + Lomb, said in a company news release.

Due to their size and the types of plastic used, contact lenses and related materials typically escape standard recycling systems. It is estimated that six to 10 metric tons of contact lenses enter US wastewater each year, posing a threat to marine ecosystems and potentially affecting the food chain.

The ONE by ONE program, launched in November 2016, has collected more than 101 million used contact lenses, blister packs, and top foils. Its newer counterpart, the Biotrue Eye Care Recycling program, launched in April 2021, has already recycled more than 1.3 million units, including eye drop bottles, single-dose units, lens cases, and caps.

Bausch + Lomb operates similar programs globally, including 'Every Contact Counts' in Canada. The company tracks its environmental progress using four key metrics—Fuel, Energy, Water, and Waste (FEWW)—with each facility setting annual sustainability goals.

For more information about the company’s impact initiatives, visit www.bausch.com/impact.