Bausch + Lomb Reports Nearly 700,000 Pounds of Eye Care Materials Recycled Through ONE by ONE Program

Thursday, November 13 2025 | 13 h 15 min | News

Bausch + Lomb Corporation has announced a significant milestone in its sustainability journey. Through its ONE by ONE Recycling Program, developed in partnership with TerraCycle®, the company has collected more than 691,000 pounds (over 114 million units) of used contact lenses, blister packs, lens cases, and eye care materials in the United States. That’s the equivalent of more than 2.2 million baseballs kept out of landfills and waterways.

“Each America Recycles Day, we celebrate the collective efforts of eye care professionals, patients, and consumers who are helping to properly discard and keep these materials out of the environment,” said Amy Butler, Vice President, Global Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability, Bausch + Lomb. “Thanks to their commitment, the ONE by ONE Recycling program keeps growing and making a more meaningful impact every year.”

Reducing “Forgotten Waste Streams”

Traditional recycling programs don’t accept these small plastic materials due to their size and composition, meaning they often end up in landfills or water systems. In the U.S., it’s estimated that between six and ten metric tons of contact lenses enter wastewater each year, where they can pollute aquatic environments and affect the food chain.

The ONE by ONE Recycling Program helps mitigate this impact by ensuring these materials are collected and processed responsibly.

“It’s reassuring to know that the everyday eye health materials we use, from contact lenses to lens cases, are being properly recycled through the ONE by ONE Recycling Program,” said Dr. Kriti Bhagat, OD, FAAO. “For my patients and practice, it’s a simple but powerful way we can help make a difference.”

Supporting Vision Care Access

For every qualifying shipment of 10 pounds or more from a registered recycling program participant, Bausch + Lomb donates $1 per pound to Optometry Giving Sight, a global initiative focused on preventing blindness and visual impairment.

In Canada, the company’s Every Contact Counts program has collected more than 70,000 pounds (5.2 million units) of used lenses, blister packs, and foils since its 2019 launch.

Commitment to Sustainability

Bausch + Lomb continues to advance sustainable business practices through measurable environmental goals known as the “FEWW” metrics—Fuel, Energy, Water, and Waste. Each facility worldwide tracks and improves against these key metrics as part of the company’s mission to help people see better to live better.

Learn more about the ONE by ONE program and Bausch + Lomb’s environmental initiatives at www.bausch.com/impact.

Source: Bausch + Lomb

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