Bausch + Lomb Reports Growth in U.S. Contact Lens Recycling Program

Thursday, April 16 2026 | 15 h 05 min | News

Bausch + Lomb announces that its ONE by ONE Recycling program, developed in collaboration with recycling company TerraCycle, has now collected and recycled 119,715,074 units of used contact lenses, lens care and eye care materials in the United States, representing a total of 724,922 pounds.

According to the company, the program is intended to help divert materials such as contact lenses, blister packs, multi-purpose solution caps and other eye health-related waste from landfills and waterways. These items are generally not accepted through standard municipal recycling systems because of their size and the types of plastics used.

Bausch + Lomb said the program continues to expand as more eye care practices and patients participate. In a statement, Amy Butler, vice president of Global Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability at Bausch + Lomb, said the latest milestone reflects the cumulative impact of small recycling actions taken over time.

The company also cited estimates suggesting that, in the United States alone, between six and 10 metric tonnes of contact lenses enter wastewater systems each year. It says the ONE by ONE program is designed to reduce that environmental burden by providing an alternative collection stream for used eye care materials.

For participating U.S. practices, the program also includes a charitable component. Bausch + Lomb says that for each qualifying shipment of 10 pounds or more sent by a registered ONE by ONE Recycling program practice, a donation of $1 per pound is made to Optometry Giving Sight.

In Canada, the company operates a related initiative called Every Contact Counts, which Bausch + Lomb says has collected and recycled more than 78,269 pounds of used contact lenses, blister packs and top foils since its launch in 2019.

Bausch + Lomb says the recycling initiatives form part of its broader sustainability strategy, which includes environmental targets tied to fuel, energy, water and waste across its operations.

Source: Bausch + Lomb

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