Contact Lenses
CooperVision Makes All One-Day Contact Lenses Plastic Neutral in UK and Ireland
CooperVision Makes All One-Day Contact Lenses Plastic Neutral in UK and Ireland
Now Company Partners with Plastic Bank® to Launch Innovative Initiative, expanding Commitment to Sustainability
To provide an easy way for eye care professionals and their patients to be more sustainable—and expand the company’s commitment to making a positive impact on the environment—CooperVision announced today that all its one-day contact lenses distributed in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland are now plastic neutral.1,2 The initiative is made possible through a breakthrough global partnership with Plastic Bank®, a social enterprise that builds ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities.
For every box of CooperVision one-day contact lenses distributed in the UK and Ireland, CooperVision purchases credits that fund the collection, processing, and reuse of general plastic waste that is equal to the weight of the plastic used in its one-day contact lenses, the blister and the outer carton packaging.2
Through Plastic Bank, collected ocean-bound plastic materials are reprocessed for reintroduction into the global supply chain. Collectors receive a premium for the materials they collect, which helps them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance.
“Like many companies, CooperVision is on a sustainability journey. Over the past several years, we have built a strong track record of sustainable manufacturing and operations, focused on areas in which we can make the greatest impact,” said Doug Bairner, Country Manager UK & Ireland at CooperVision. “Plastic plays a critical role in the hygienic delivery and sterile protection of our contact lenses, and how that plastic is managed is important to us. The commitment to making all of our one-day lenses in the UK and Ireland plastic neutral1,2 is an innovative addition in CooperVision’s holistic approach to sustainability, with the opportunity to make a positive impact —for our oceans, and for everyone.”
“Plastic Bank is empowering the regenerative society while improving the lives of collector communities,” said David Katz, Founder and CEO at Plastic Bank. “Together with CooperVision, we’re offering the eye care industry the opportunity to make meaningful environmental, social and economic impact.”
Research shows that sustainability is a growing priority for consumers, and they care how plastic is managed. In a 2021 survey commissioned by CooperVision, 85% of contact lens wearers agreed that keeping plastic out of the oceans is important to them.3 And 93% of contact lens wearers reported that they would choose a plastic neutral contact lens over a comparable non-plastic neutral lens, assuming both were recommended by their eye care professional.4
All CooperVision one-day contact lens brands in the UK and Ireland are included in the plastic neutral initiative, including MyDay®, clariti® 1 day, MiSight® 1 day, Live®, Proclear® 1 day, and Biomedics® 1 day. There is no enrollment process for eye care professionals or consumers; anyone who recommends or wears the lenses is participating.
“Plastic neutrality is not an endpoint; it is another milestone in CooperVision’s journey to continuing to make a positive impact on the environment,” said Doug Bairner. “We look forward to partnering with eye care practitioners and wearers to make it happen. By simply fitting and wearing CooperVision one-day contact lenses, it’s easy to make a difference—together.”
Key for more detail
1 One-day contact lenses are defined as orders placed by customers for those products and includes product sold and distributed by CooperVision in the UK and Ireland.
2 Plastic neutrality is established by purchasing credits from Plastic Bank. A credit represents the collection and conversion of one kilogram of plastic that may reach or be destined for waterways. CooperVision purchases credits equal to the weight of plastic in our-one day contact lens orders in a specified time period. One-day contact lens plastic is determined by the weight of plastic in the blister, the lens and the secondary package (outer carton), including laminates, adhesives, and auxiliary inputs (e.g. ink).
3 CooperVision, data on file, 2021. Plastic Neutrality Survey, 200 eye care professionals and 1,500 consumers aged 16-65 years.
4 CooperVision, data on file, 2021. Plastic Neutrality Survey, 300 UK consumers aged 16-65 years.
