Now rolling out in Boots Opticians and select independent
practices, the programme gives 3.7 million UK contact lens wearers
the opportunity to convert waste into new products
LONDON, Jan. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Over two-thirds
(70%)1 of consumers are confused about the types of
household items they can recycle, according to recent research by
Johnson & Johnson Vision. And this is no different for contact
lenses, where over a third (39%) of contact lenses wearers aren't
sure or believe they can recycle lenses. In reality, whilst not
impossible, recycling contact lenses is challenging, where
consumers must proactively seek out a paid-for recycling partner —
that is until today.
Johnson & Johnson Vision2 is launching the
ACUVUE Contact Lens Recycle Programme, the UK's first free
nationwide programme which enables consumers to easily recycle
their contact lenses and the blister and foil packaging after use.
The programme is available to all soft contact lens wearers
regardless of which contact lens brand they use.
The programme aims to reduce plastic waste in landfills and
waterways by providing a simple and practical alternative to the
UK's 3.7 million contact wearers, including the 20%3 of
wearers who reported that they currently dispose of their lenses by
flushing them down the toilet or the sink. The end result will see
the recycled contact lenses, blister and foil packaging turned into
new products such as outdoor furniture and plastic
lumber.
"Seventy-seven percent4 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," said Sandra
Rasche, Area Vice President, Europe, Middle
East and Africa, Vision
Care, Johnson & Johnson Medical GmbH. "As a business, we are
committed to doing our part to combat climate change, protect our
planet's natural resources and reduce waste, and this new UK
recycling programme represents the next step in our company's
sustainability commitment."
Consumers will have the option of either having their contact
lens material collected, or simply dropping it off through a
network of recycling bins at public drop-off locations at optical
stores across the UK, including high street retailer Boots
Opticians Ltd5. The recycling partnership with
Boots Opticians and a number of independent stores, aims over
time to provide over 1,000 public drop-off recycling locations for
contact lens waste across the UK.
Johnson & Johnson Vision is collaborating with TerraCycle, a
world leader in the collection and reuse of non-recyclable
post-consumer waste to run the programme. Open for all in the
UK, contact lens wearers are encouraged to check the
ACUVUE and TerraCycle websites for details on their
nearest public drop-off location points or to recycle from home via
courier collection.
Research
Research was conducted by One Poll with one thousand contact lens wearers
in the UK in November 2018.
About Johnson & Johnson Medical Device
Companies
As the world's most comprehensive medical devices
business, we are building on a century of experience, merging
science and technology, to shape the future of health and benefit
even more people around the world. With our unparalleled
breadth, depth and reach across surgery, orthopaedics, vision and
interventional solutions, we're working to profoundly change the
way care is delivered. We are in this for life.
Johnson & Johnson Vision
At Johnson
& Johnson Vision, part of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices
Companies*, we have a bold ambition: to change the trajectory of
eye health around the world. Through our operating companies, we
deliver innovation that enables eye care professionals to create
better outcomes for patients throughout their lives, with products
and technologies that address unmet needs including refractive
error, cataracts and dry eye. In communities with greatest need, we
work in collaboration to expand access to quality eye care, and we
are committed to helping people see better, connect better and live
better. Visit us at www.jjvision.com.
Follow @JNJVision on Twitter and Johnson & Johnson
Vision on LinkedIn.
Important information for contact lens
wearers
ACUVUE Brand Contact Lenses are
available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care
professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for
you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing
contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and
replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by
your eye care professional. Do not wear contact lenses if you have
an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing,
vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these
conditions occurs, remove the lens and contact your eye care
professional immediately. For more information on proper wear, care
and safety, talk to your eye care professional, call 0800 0224 222,
or download the Patient Instruction Guide.
+ ACUVUE Brand Contact Lenses have UV Blocking to help
provide protection against transmission of harmful UV radiation to
the cornea and into the eye.
‡WARNING: UV absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for
protective UV absorbing eyewear such as UV absorbing goggles or
sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and
surrounding area. You should continue to use UV absorbing eyewear
as directed by your eye care professional.
* The Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies comprise
the surgery, orthopedics, and interventional solutions businesses
within Johnson & Johnson's Medical Devices segment.
ACUVUE is a registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson
Vision Care, Inc., Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices
Companies.
Third-party trademarks used herein are trademarks of their
respective owners.
© Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2019, Johnson &
Johnson Medical Devices Companies.
Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This
press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding the
ACUVUE Contact Lens Recycle Programme. The reader is cautioned not
to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are
based on current expectations of future events. If underlying
assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or
uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially
from the expectations and projections of Johnson & Johnson
Vision Care, Inc., any of the other Johnson & Johnson Medical
Devices Companies and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to: uncertainty of
regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; challenges
to patents; competition, including technological advances, new
products and patents attained by competitors; manufacturing
difficulties and delays; product efficacy or safety concerns
resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes to
applicable laws and regulations, including global health care
reforms; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of
health care products and services; and trends toward health care
cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these
risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson
& Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2017, including in
the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in the company's most
recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the company's
subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov,
www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Neither
the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies nor Johnson
& Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as
a result of new information or future events or developments.
1 Johnson & Johnson funded One Poll research with 1,000 contact lens
wearers in the UK in November
2018.
2 Johnson & Johnson Vision represents the
products and services of Johnson & Johnson Medical Device
Companies and certain of their affiliates.
3 Johnson & Johnson funded One Poll research with 1,000 contact lens
wearers in the UK in November
2018.
4 Johnson & Johnson funded One Poll research with 1,000 contact lens
wearers in the UK in November
2018.
5 Boots UK (boots.com), the UK's largest
pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer, is part of the Retail
Pharmacy International Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
(Nasdaq: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing
enterprise. With 2,485* stores in the UK, its purpose is to
champion everyone's right to feel good.
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