More than 780 million used plastic contact lenses are disposed of in the UK each year — but 97 per cent are either binned or flushed away rather than being recycled.
A study by contact lens and eye surgery provider Optical Express found that one in four people surveyed threw their lenses down the drain or into the toilet.
Altogether, this equates to more than 750 million lenses ending up either in landfill sites, incinerators or sewers — where they have can form plastic pollution.
Microplastic particles — which are made as plastic slowly degrades — pollute oceans and rivers and have the potential to endanger marine life.
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More than 780 million used plastic contact lenses are disposed of in the UK each year — but 97 per cent are either binned or flushed away rather than being recycled
Researchers from contact lens supplier Optical Express conducted a survey of over 3,000 contact lens wearers in the UK to find out how they disposed of their lenses.
Participants were also asked whether they felt they had enough information about the environmental impact of various vision correction solutions and how such impacted their choices.
The researchers found that 97 per cent of contact lens wearers are inadvertently polluting the environment by throwing their used lenses away. In contrast, only 3 per cent of wearers reported recycling their lenses.
Across the UK, more than 4 million people use around 780 million contact lenses each year.
This means that over 750 million lenses are dumped every year.
Lenses and their plastic packaging that end up in landfill sites can take 500 years to decompose, potentially allowing plastic pollution to leak into the soil and water.
On top of this, around 1 in 4 survey respondents admitted to throwing their lenses down the sink plughole, or flushing them down the toilet.
Once in the sewers, these break down into tiny particles that pollute the oceans and are ingested by marine life.
‘We’d suspected that some people were disposing of lenses down the drain, but it’s shocking to learn the true scale of the problem,’ said Optical Express Clinical Services Director Stephen Hannan.
‘It’s time we all took more responsibility for how our personal decisions affect the environment,’ he added.
‘We all have choices in terms of vision correction, whether that’s to wear glasses more often or get laser eye surgery.’
‘But whatever you do, don’t throw your contact lenses down the drain.’
A study by contact lens and eye surgery provider Optical Express found that one in four people surveyed threw their lenses down the drain or into the toilet
Of the survey participants, a third said that they were entirely unaware of how their choice of vision correction solution was impacting the environment.
In response, Optical Express has launched a new program to make their users aware of such environmental issues and offer advice on alternatives to using disposable lenses, such as having eye surgery or wearing glasses more frequently.
‘Think of all the plastic that would be saved if the 4.2 million UK contact lens wearers chose to have laser eye surgery,’ Mr Hannan commented.
‘Contact lenses not only have an environmental impact, but they can be very expensive over the course of a lifetime, and prolonged use increases the risk of eye infections.’
‘In the long run, eye surgery is better for the environment, better for your pocket and better for your eyes.’
The firm is also encouraging users to dispose of their used lenses in an environmentally friendly manner — with special recycling boxes made available in locations nationwide.
A similar scheme is also offered by Acuvue — a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson — via drop-off locations in Boots chemists and other stores across the country.
Microplastic particles — which are made as such plastic items as contact lenses, pictured, slowly degrade — pollute oceans and rivers and have the potential to endanger marine life
‘As we all become more environmentally aware and understand the impact on the planet of our decisions and actions, we learn that as consumers, we always have a choice,’ said ‘Say No To Plastic’ campaigner and former broadcaster, Heather Suttie.
Ms Suttie — whose previous campaign work against the use of plastic bags helped lead to the five pence bag levy imposed by the Scottish Government in 2014 — has now teamed up with Optical Express to tackle plastic contact lens waste.
‘Businesses have a responsibility to educate their patients and customers with information on the environmental impact of products and should offer alternative solutions where possible,’ she added.
‘With 125 million contact lens users worldwide, this is a global crisis and it needs action on a massive scale. Billions of used contact lenses and their packaging are causing widespread pollution and people simply don’t realise the damage.’
‘People have been flushing or binning used contact lenses and their packaging for decades, causing untold environmental damage. We need to take action now.’
‘It’s great that Optical Express is taking the war on plastic seriously and I hope other eye care providers follow their lead.’
‘Through this kind of information and support, all of us can make better informed choices and start cleaning up our oceans and our beaches.’
