First-of-its-Kind Contact Lens Recycling Program in
the United States Diverts Nearly
31,000 Lbs. of Waste
BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Nov. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bausch + Lomb, a
leading global eye health company and a wholly owned subsidiary of
Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE:/TSX:BHC), today announced on
America Recycles Day that its exclusive ONE by ONE Recycling
Program has recycled a combined total of more than five million
units of used contact lenses, blister packs and top foils since the
program's inception in November 2016.
The program is made possible through a collaboration with
TerraCycle®, a world leader in the collection and repurposing of
hard-to-recycle post-consumer waste. To date, Bausch + Lomb and
TerraCycle have diverted nearly 31,000 pounds of used contact
lenses, blister packs and top foils, the equivalent of
approximately two and a half times the weight of an elephant, from
oceans, lakes, streams and landfills.
"Up until two years ago, there wasn't a program that allowed
contact lens wearers to properly dispose of or recycle their
contact lens materials without ensuring they did not end up in our
environment," said Amy Butler, vice
president, Global Environment, Health, Safety + Sustainability,
Bausch Health. "By providing this solution to eye care
professionals and their patients, we are making strides to protect
our environment from used contact lens materials and instead
turning them into a variety of post-consumer products, such as
recycled picnic tables and garden beds."
In August 2018, Arizona State University published a study stating
that up to 20 percent of consumers in the
United States flush their contact lens waste down the drain,
contributing to a potential total of 3.36 billion contact lenses in
the environment. While contact lens materials are recyclable, when
placed into regular curbside recycling bins, their small size
causes them to be filtered out at recycling facilities and directed
to the waste stream.
"We hope the results of our study help contact lens wearers
understand what happens once the lifespan of these materials has
ended and how their actions to dispose of them can significantly
impact our environment," said Rolf
Halden, engineering professor and director of the Biodesign
Institute's Center for Environmental Health Engineering at
Arizona State University. "Now, with
the ONE by ONE Recycling program, contact lens wearers have a way
to properly recycle these materials and their packaging in order to
help reduce the environmental impact of contact lens waste."
The Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling Program is available to
contact lens wearers and optometrists in the United States. Contact lens wearers can
either take their used contact lenses and packaging to any of the
nearly 3,000 participating eye care professionals' offices or mail
them via a pre-paid shipping label at BauschRecycles.com.
Registered eye care professionals with the ONE by ONE Recycling
Program are also provided custom recycling bins for collection in
the office. Once the materials are received by Terracycle, the
materials are then recycled into post-consumer products.
"Our practice is proud to be one of the nearly 3,000 offices
across the country participating in the ONE by ONE Recycling
program," said Gina Wesley, O.D.,
Complete Eye Care of Medina, Minn.
"My patients appreciate having the ability to properly recycle
their contact lenses and packaging in an environmentally
responsible way, especially those who prefer to wear daily
disposable contact lenses and are concerned about the waste these
materials create."
In addition to the United
States, Bausch + Lomb also has similar contact lens
recycling programs in The
Netherlands and Australia.
To learn more about the Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling Program,
visit www.bauschrecycles.com.
About TerraCycle
Founded in 2001, TerraCycle, Inc., a
world leader in the collection and repurposing of hard-to-recycle
post-consumer waste, ranging from used chip bags to coffee capsules
to cigarette butts. The waste is collected through free, national,
brand-funded recycling programs, as well as various consumer and
government-funded models. The collected waste is reused, upcycled
or recycled into a variety of affordable, sustainable consumer
products and industrial applications. Each year, across 20
countries, TerraCycle collects and repurposes billions of pieces of
waste, donating millions of dollars to schools and charities in the
process. To learn more about TerraCycle, please visit
www.terracycle.com.
About ASU
Arizona State
University has developed a new model for the American
Research University, creating an institution that is committed to
access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it
includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New
American University, ASU pursues
research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major
responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of
the communities that surround it. www.asu.edu.
About the Biodesign Institute
The Biodesign Institute
at Arizona State University integrates
leading-edge research in biology, engineering and computer science
to address challenging problems posed by disease, depletion of
natural resources and threats to our national security.
Understanding and emulating nature is essential to solving these
problems, and is the unifying thread in the highly-diverse research
of the Institute. The collaborative structure of the Institute is
designed to accelerate discoveries and translate them into
real-world applications in healthcare, engineering and
environmental sustainability. For information, visit
www.biodesign.asu.edu.
About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb, a Bausch
Health Companies Inc. company, is a leading global eye health
organization that is solely focused on helping people see better to
live better. Its core businesses include over-the-counter products,
dietary supplements, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals,
contact lenses, lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and
instruments. Bausch + Lomb develops, manufactures and markets one
of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry, which
is available in more than 100 countries. For more information,
visit www.bausch.com.
About Bausch Health
Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) is a global company
whose mission is to improve people's lives with our health care
products. We develop, manufacture and market a range of
pharmaceutical, medical device and over-the-counter products,
primarily in the therapeutic areas of eye health, gastroenterology
and dermatology. We are delivering on our commitments as we build
an innovative company dedicated to advancing global health. More
information can be found at www.bauschhealth.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This news release may
contain forward-looking statements which may generally be
identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "expects,"
"intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "will,"
"believes," "estimates," "potential," "target," or "continue" and
variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon
the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject
to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking
statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not
limited to, risks and uncertainties discussed in Bausch Health's
most recent annual or quarterly report and detailed from time to
time in Valeant's other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which
factors are incorporated herein by reference. Readers are cautioned
not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the
date hereof. Bausch Health undertakes no obligation to update any
of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect
actual outcomes, unless required by law.
Bausch + Lomb and Bausch Health are trademarks of Bausch
& Lomb Incorporated or its affiliates. TerraCycle is a
trademark of TerraCycle, Inc.
© 2018 Bausch & Lomb
Incorporated. BOD.0328.USA.18
Investor
Contact:
|
Media
Contact:
|
Arthur
Shannon
|
Lainie
Keller
|
arthur.shannon@bauschhealth.com
|
lainie.keller@bauschhealth.com
|
(514)
856-3855
|
(908)
927-0617
|
(877) 281-6642 (toll
free)
|
|
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SOURCE Bausch Health Companies Inc.