March has been an exciting month at Whitby & Co. We’ve joined a movement close to our heart; reducing the impact contact lens plastic has on the environment.
We are committed to doing our part in combatting climate change and protecting our planet from plastics. Therefore, we have joined the Acuvue Contact Lens Recycle Programme. Our patients and the wider general public can drop off their contact lens waste (regardless of the brand) at our clinic and we will send them off to be recycled on your behalf.
Sandra Rasche, of Johnson & Johnson Medical, said,
“Seventy-seven per cent of British contact lens wearers said they would recycle their contact lenses if they could and we share their interest in reducing the amount of plastics in the environment”.
By working with Acuvue and Terracycle we are able to assist all those who would like to see their contact lenses recycled.
Why should you recycle your contact lenses?
Believe it or not, your contact lenses may have a bigger impact on the environment than you think. Especially if you’re flushing them down the toilet!
Did you know ‘20% of contact lens wearers flush their lenses down the toilet, others simply dump them in the bin after use.’ – as reported by Johnson & Johnson Vision (JJV).
With many contact lenses only suitable for one-day use millions are chucked away each day in the UK, but what happens to them, once they have been given the flush?
The impact of contact lens pollution…
Contact lenses are not biodegradable and end up travelling from our sewage into our rivers, seas and oceans. As contact lenses are usually denser than water, they will float to the bottom and be consumed by creatures who mistake microplastics for food. This can have adverse effects on the food chain and the environment.
Help us reduce our plastic footprint
At Whitby & Co. we want to help to preserve our environment and reduce our plastic footprint. We are working together with Acuvue and TerraCycle to launch our ‘contact lens recycle programme’ with the aim to reduce the number of contact lenses being disposed of incorrectly.
How does our contact lens recycling programme work?
Whitby & Co. are now an allocated drop-off point for Acuvue, meaning you can drop off your used contact lenses, blister packs and foils and we’ll make sure they get turned into new products such as outdoor furniture and plastic lumber.
Any brand of soft disposable lenses (daily, 2 weekly or monthly), blister packaging or foil packing are accepted. Once these are received we’ll send them off to be recycled into something new and shiny.
Our recycling efforts not only make us feel great and benefit the environment but they also convert into cash donations for our chosen charity. We have chosen to support ‘The Childhood Cancer Trust’ to receive our donations this year. They work tirelessly to raise awareness and fund research into the prevention and treatment of Retinoblastoma. We couldn’t think of a more deserving charity.
Join in our efforts to help reduce your plastic footprint and save the future of our planet.
For more information on how to get involved in our Contact Lens Recycle Programme:
Sources:
Terracycle.co.uk
Acuvue.co.uk
Medical Research – Contact Lens Microplastic Study
