BUSINESS: Sustainability Contact Lens Companies Amplify Their Sustainable Commitments By Staff Tuesday, May 24, 2022 1:56 AM RELATED CONTENT Growing Green Eastman’s Initiatives Propel a Range of Sustainable Eyewear Plastics Eyewear Brands Center Sustainable Practices Burnt Hills Optical Works Sustainability Into Every Day Tasks NEW YORK—The major contact lens companies are each amplifying their commitments to sustainability efforts via materials, manufacturing and packaging processes, as VM reported last month. Alcon, Bausch + Lomb and CooperVision are expanding sustainability and recycling. Among many other things from each of these companies, Alcon said it has earned the GreenCircle Zero Waste to Landfill Certification for three of its ophthalmic drop and solutions’ manufacturing facilities—two in Fort Worth, Texas, and one in Singapore. Bausch + Lomb announced that its One by One and Biotrue Eye Care Recycling programs have recycled a total of 48,235,850 million units, or 290,145 pounds, of used contact lenses, eyecare and lens care materials, which is the equivalent of the weight of approximately 31 elephants. CooperVision said its “first-of-its-kind plastic neutrality initiative” has expanded to include additional countries in Europe and Latin America, and will soon launch in select Asian countries. ECPs and contact lens wearers can now view the program’s collective impact using the new CooperVision Impact Dashboard which provides updates on how much plastic waste has been collected in collaboration with Plastic Bank. A more detailed look at the three company initiatives are posted at https://visionmonday.com/technology/contact-lenses/article/alcon-bausch-lomb-and-coopervision-report-expanded-efforts-around-sustainability-and-recycling-as-nation-celebrates-earth-day/. Johnson & Johnson Vision, which is committed to achieving carbon neutrality in all its operations by 2030, said in April that it has made two important changes to the way some products are made and distributed to benefit the planet. All Acuvue brand contact lenses are now made with 100 percent renewable electricity—hitting the Johnson & Johnson Vision global climate goal of sourcing 100 percent of the company’s electricity needs from renewable energy two years early. Johnson & Johnson Vision’s production site in Limerick, Ireland, is already powered by wind energy and now its HQ manufacturing site in Jacksonville, Fla., has gone live with a new partnership to power it from 100 percent solar energy. The company also removed the plastic pouches placed on the outside of all customer delivery boxes in Europe, saving approximately 10 tons of plastic every year. With new stickers on the outside, delivery notes will now be placed on the inside of the box alongside the product. Plans are under way to look at extending this initiative globally. More of their goals are posted at https://visionmonday.com/technology/contact-lenses/article/johnson-and-johnson-vision-makes-key-changes-to-product-manufacturing-and-packaging-as-it-increases-commitment-to-sustainability/.