CooperVision partnership with Plastic Bank hits milestone

CooperVision has revealed that its plastic neutrality initiative has prevented the equivalent of more than 100 million plastic bottles from entering the ocean.

Of this, the equivalent of over 23 million bottles have been offset by eye care professionals and contact lens wearers in the UK and Ireland, the company said.

CooperVision launched a partnership with the social enterprise, Plastic Bank, in 2021 to fund the collection, processing and reuse of ocean-bound plastic waste, equivalent to the weight of plastic contained in specific CooperVision products across 27 countries through the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Doug Bairner, country manager UK and Ireland at CooperVision, commented: “We’re extremely proud of the contribution eye care professionals and contact lens wearers have made to this important initiative in the UK and Ireland.”

“It really goes to show that small actions can make a massive difference when we all work together with a common purpose,” he continued, adding: “We’re excited to see what more we can achieve together over the years to come.”

Plastic Bank creates ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities.

The partnership supports the individuals collecting plastic materials in more than 350 coastal communities, who receive bonus payments through the organisation for necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance.

Aldo Zucaro, senior director, corporate responsibility for CooperCompanies, thanked eye care professionals and contact lens wearers for their support of the programme, adding: “Each plastic neutral contact lens that is prescribed and worn makes a difference.”
“Together, we’re making our oceans, our communities – and our – future better. We already have our sights set on the next 100 million,” he said.

Watch OT’s interview with Bairner on CooperVision’s sustainable goals and the Plastic Bank partnership, filmed in 2022.