Johnson & Johnson Vision (J&J Vision) updated its Acuvue Contact Lens Recycle Programme to boost awareness of sustainable waste options among wearers.
Following an earlier 2022 survey which revealed that only 39% of contact lens (CL) wearers recycled, J&J Vision has partnered with TerraCycle to fund the provision of 3,500 Zero Waste Boxes to partnering opticians. These waste boxes enabled consumers to store, ship and recycle contact lens waste easily, and will be enough capacity for approximately 5.6 million lenses, blister packaging and foil covers.
The programme aimed to increase CL recycling in the UK by 25%. Initially launched in 2019, it has recycled over 8.5 million pairs of CLs and packaging to date.
Jakob Sveen, managing director of Northern Europe and general manager of UK & Ireland at J&J Vision, said: ‘At J&J Vision, we’re passionate about sustainability and minimising our impact on the planet. The results of this latest survey reveal lens wearers don’t realise they can dispose of contacts sustainably but would be keen to do so if they knew how.
‘We want to help patients realise they can enjoy wearing contact lenses whilst being sustainable, ensuring plastic isn’t making its way into our oceans or landfill. We are determined to continue tackling key issues that affect us all, from recycling and reducing our carbon footprint, to optimizing our packaging.’