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Disposable Contact Lenses, Cases, and Solution Bottles

Used contact lenses, blister packs, foil lids, lens cases, and solution bottles require different disposal methods. Some qualify for specialized collection, while others may be accepted through local curbside recycling. Do not assume that every item belongs in the same recycling bin.


Never dispose of contact lenses in a sink or toilet. A 2020 study surveyed 416 contact-lens users and estimated that approximately 21 percent flushed their lenses, corresponding to about 44,000 kilograms of dry lens material entering U.S. wastewater annually. In the study’s treatment experiments, biological wastewater treatment did not measurably reduce the plastic mass, and lens fragments accumulated in sewage sludge. These findings are study-based estimates and observations, not a current nationwide measurement of all discarded lenses.


What to do with each item

Item

Preferred option

Important instructions

Used contact lenses

Use a specialized contact-lens collection program. If none is accessible, place them in household trash.

Keep lenses out of drains, toilets, and curbside recycling.

Plastic blister packs

Use a specialized collection program.

For ONE by ONE, remove the foil completely and make sure the packs are empty and dry.

Foil lids

Collect separately from the blister packs for a specialized program.

ONE by ONE accepts separated top foils. Do not assume that a local program accepting aluminum cans also accepts these small lids.

Contact lens cases

Use ONE by ONE or another program that explicitly accepts them.

Cases must be empty and dry.

Small contact-lens solution bottles and caps, 4 ounces or less

Use ONE by ONE or local recycling if accepted.

Confirm size eligibility and empty the bottles completely.

Full-size solution bottles

Check local recycling requirements for the bottle.

ONE by ONE lists caps from full-size bottles of 10 ounces or more, not the full-size bottles themselves. Ask the program about intermediate sizes rather than assuming acceptance.

Cardboard contact-lens boxes

Use local paper recycling if accepted.

ONE by ONE does not accept contact-lens boxes.


Use a specialized collection program

The Bausch + Lomb ONE by ONE Recycling Program, operated with TerraCycle, offers free collection through participating U.S. eye-care practices. It accepts contact lenses and specified contact-lens packaging from all brands. Collected items must be empty and dry.


For contact-lens and lens-care waste, the program currently lists:

  • Used contact lenses.

  • Empty plastic blister packs.

  • Foil lids fully separated from blister packs.

  • Contact lens cases.

  • Contact-lens solution bottles and caps measuring 4 ounces or less.

  • Caps from full-size contact-lens solution bottles measuring 10 ounces or more.


The program also accepts certain additional eye-care products, including single-dose eye-drop vials and their foil wrapping. Some other accepted products have brand-specific restrictions, so check the current instructions before adding them.


Do not include unopened blister packs, cardboard contact-lens boxes, or blister packs with foil lids still attached.


Use the program’s location finder and contact the eye-care practice before visiting. Collection availability, hours, and accepted waste streams may differ by location.


Paid collection alternatives

TerraCycle also lists a paid Contact Lenses and Packaging Zero Waste Bag. Its acceptance rules differ from ONE by ONE. For example, the paid product lists certain packaging materials but excludes contact-lens solution bottles. Review the exact product instructions before purchasing or collecting materials.


Prepare items correctly

For the ONE by ONE program:

  1. Peel the foil lid completely away from each blister pack.

  2. Empty all remaining liquid from eligible packaging.

  3. Allow lenses, packs, foil lids, cases, and eligible bottles to dry.

  4. Store collected materials in a clean, dry container.

  5. Include only items specifically listed as accepted by the program and receiving location.


Do not send liquid solution or assume that outer wrapping, paper inserts, or other packaging qualifies simply because it came with contact lenses. Different collection programs have different acceptance lists.


Handle solution bottles separately

Full-size solution bottles are not included in ONE by ONE’s listed bottle acceptance. They may have a local recycling option, but acceptance must be confirmed with your recycling provider. Eligible caps can be collected through ONE by ONE according to its size requirements.


Before placing a bottle in local recycling:

  • Empty it completely.

  • Follow local instructions for rinsing.

  • Confirm that the program accepts that type and size of bottle.

  • Follow local instructions on whether to leave the cap attached.

Do not use a plastic identification number alone as proof that the bottle is accepted. When uncertain, ask your recycling provider rather than placing an unconfirmed item in the bin.


If specialized recycling is unavailable

Place used contact lenses in household trash rather than flushing them. Keeping lenses out of wastewater prevents them from entering the treatment pathway in which researchers observed fragmentation and accumulation in sewage sludge.

For blister packs, foil lids, cases, and bottles, use local recycling only when the program explicitly accepts the item. Otherwise, follow your local waste provider’s disposal instructions. Specialized collection is useful where available, but it should not be replaced by placing unaccepted materials in curbside recycling.


Safety and Legal Notice

This guide provides general educational information for U.S. households. Collection availability and acceptance requirements vary by community, eye-care practice, and recycling provider. Confirm current instructions before dropping off or mailing materials.

Follow your eye-care professional’s and manufacturer’s instructions for lens wear, cleaning, storage, and replacement. Recycling preparation does not make a used lens or container suitable for medical reuse. Do not extend a lens’s prescribed wear schedule to reduce waste.

If you develop eye pain, redness, light sensitivity, sudden blurred vision, unusual watering, or discharge, remove your contact lenses and contact your eye doctor immediately. Do not resume wearing them until your eye doctor advises you to do so.


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