When it comes to protecting and improving our environment, it’s important that we all try to do our bit. As part of our ongoing environmental commitment, we’ve put together some information on how best to dispose and recycle your contact lenses, as well as the packaging they come in.
What can be recycled at home?
The packaging your contact lenses come in is made from a number of materials, such as cardboard, most of which can be recycled at home. There will be a slight variation between brands, so it’s always best to check the packaging and your local authority’s recycling service.
Cardboard packaging your lenses come in
The box your lenses come in can be recycled at local recycling points and through most household recycling collection schemes.
Solution bottles
These are usually made from HDPE (high-density polythene) plastic, a material that is generally used for things such as detergent bottles, margarine tubs, bottle caps or milk jugs.
They might also be made from PET (polythene terephthalate) plastic and may be referred to as single use clear plastic bottles.
Further information on recycling solution bottles
Plastic bottles:
- Rinse out thoroughly
- Important: remove lid before recycling
- Place in household recycling bin
Bottle caps:
- Must be separated from the bottle
- Check your local authority guidelines on for lid recycling
- Some areas accept loose lids in recycling if collected together
- Others require lids to go in general waste
What is not practical to recycle at home?
Contact lenses
Lens blister packs
Foil lid on blister packs
What should I do with my used contact lenses?
Contact lenses are not biodegradable and are generally made from plastic type materials, such as hydrogel, silicone hydrogel or non-hydrogel variants.
It is possible to recycle contact lenses but it’s usually not a practical option due to their small size and limitations of local authority recycling collections.
As a result, Specsavers has partnered with MYgroup, a recycling and waste disposal company, so that customers can recycle their contact lenses (and plastic contact lenses packaging) free of charge by bringing them into their local store.
Specsavers also offers free glasses recycling.
Recycling boxes can be found in all UK optical stores, so you can place your old or used contact lenses (including any plastic contact lenses packaging), in there, and it will be turned into something different and useful.
Please do not flush down the toilet or sink.
Click for more information on our sustainable commitments and our partnership
with plastic bank
