VAUGHAN, ON, Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO) ("Bausch + Lomb"), a leading global eye health company dedicated to helping people see better to live better, today, on America Recycles Day, announced its unique ONE by ONE and Biotrue Eye Care Recycling programs have collected a total of 58,677,480 million units, or 356,723 pounds, of used contact lens, eye care and lens care materials, which is equivalent to the weight of 108 midsize vehicles¹. The first-of-its-kind programs are made possible through a collaboration with TerraCycle^®, a world leader in the collection and repurposing of hard-to-recycle post-consumer waste.

"Prior to the launch of Bausch + Lomb's recycling programs, contact lens wearers, eye doctors and consumers did not have a dedicated way to properly recycle contact lens, eye care and lens care materials in the United States," said Amy Butler, vice president, Global Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability, Bausch + Lomb. "The ONE by ONE and Biotrue Eye Care recycling programs are providing a solution to this concern and together are making significant strides in ensuring more and more of these non-biodegradable materials do not end up in our environment and instead become a variety of post-consumer products."

Like many other forgotten waste streams, many people do not realize what happens to contact lens, eye care and lens care materials once they have been disposed of. These materials don't typically end up getting processed in standard recycling facilities due to their small size and the type of plastic used to manufacture them. As a result, they can end up in landfills or waterways, contributing to plastic pollution. 

"The Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE and Biotrue Eye Care recycling programs are two prominent programs my practice uses daily to help ensure we are being as sustainable as possible," said Gina Wesley, O.D., Complete Eye Care, Medina, Minn. "My patients are also pleased to hear about these programs during their appointments so they, too, can help minimize the waste these materials generate."

The ONE by ONE Recycling program has collected more than 58 million used contact lenses, blister packs and top foils since the program's launch in November 2016. The Biotrue Eye Care Recycling program, which launched in April 2021, has collected more than 320,000 eye drop single dose units, lens cases, lens solution caps and Biotrue Hydration Boost Lubricant Eye drops multi-dose bottles. (Lens solution bottles are recyclable through standard recycling in accordance with local recycling guidelines).

In addition to the United States, Bausch + Lomb has a similar contact lens recycling program in Canada called Every Contact Counts. To learn more about the Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling program, visit www.BauschRecycles.com. To learn more about the Biotrue^® Eye Care Recycling program, visit https://www.biotrue.com/terracycle/.

About the Biotrue Eye Care Recycling Program
The Bausch + Lomb Biotrue Eye Care Recycling program is the first and only eye care recycling program in the United States. This program allows consumers who participate to properly recycle all brands of their eye drop single dose units, lens cases and lens solution caps, as well as Biotrue Hydration Boost lubricant eye drops multi-dose bottles. Once consumers collect these items, they can be mailed to TerraCycle using a pre-paid shipping label. When the waste arrives at the TerraCycle facility, it is cleaned and melted into hard plastic pellets that can be used to make new recycled products.

About the ONE by ONE Recycling Program
The Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling program is the first and only sponsored contact lens recycling program in the United States. This award-winning program collects used contact lenses, top foil and opened plastic blister packs from any brand and is available to contact lens wearers and eye care professionals. More than 7,200 eye care practices are registered as official recycling centers of the program. To participate, contact lens wearers can bring their used contact lenses and packaging to one of these practices, which collects the used lens materials in a custom recycling bin provided by Bausch + Lomb. Once the bin is filled, the optometry practice ships the materials to TerraCycle for proper recycling using a Bausch + Lomb pre-paid shipping label.

About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the gift of sight for millions of people around the world – from the moment of birth through every phase of life. Its comprehensive portfolio of more than 400 products includes contact lenses, lens care products, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Founded in 1853, Bausch + Lomb has a significant global research and development, manufacturing and commercial footprint with more than 12,000 employees and a presence in nearly 100 countries. Bausch + Lomb is headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario with corporate offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.bausch.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Forward-looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements, which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "hopes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "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, the risks and uncertainties discussed in Bausch + Lomb's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. They also include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties caused by or relating to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, and the fear of that pandemic and its potential effects, the severity, duration and future impact of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, and which may have a material adverse impact on Bausch + Lomb, including but not limited to its project development timelines, launches and costs (which may increase). 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 + Lomb 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.

References

1. Bankrate. Average Car Weight. https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/average-car-weight/. Accessed on Nov. 10, 2022.

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SOURCE Bausch + Lomb Corporation