Showcasing its commitment to sustainability, CooperVision announced that its landmark net plastic neutral contact lens initiative has now resulted in the prevention of the equivalent of more than 360 million plastic bottles from entering the oceans.*1 In addition, the company’s innovative partnership with Plastic Bank has been captured through a new mini-documentary series, with the first episode now available. The news comes on World Cleanup Day, which is dedicated to uniting millions of people, organizations, and governments to tackle global waste and help create a more sustainable world.
CooperVision pioneered the plastic neutral model†2 for the contact lens industry in 2021 and has continued to expand the global initiative’s scope, adding two new European countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, earlier this month. Collaborating with Plastic Bank, CooperVision funds the collection and recycling of ocean-bound plastic equivalent to the weight of plastic used in participating products sold and distributed across what is now 29 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.‡3
“As the first manufacturer to provide a full range of plastic neutral soft contact lenses,†2 we are transforming and improving the well-being of People + Planet3,” said Aldo Zucaro, Senior Director, Corporate Responsibility, CooperCompanies. “Thanks to our Plastic Bank partnership, the eye care professionals who prescribe CooperVision plastic neutral contact lenses—and the people who wear them—together, we embody the spirit and impact of World Cleanup Day year-round.”
In addition to the environmental benefits, CooperVision’s net plastic neutrality initiative elevates the lives of Plastic Bank collector members in hundreds of coastal communities1—the subject of the new docuseries. In exchange for the ocean-bound plastic waste they collect, adults receive credits to purchase goods and services, including health, work and life insurance, digital connectivity, grocery vouchers, school supplies, and more.4 A vision care program provides vision screenings and vouchers for complimentary eye examinations and glasses for eligible Plastic Bank collection members.3
The first of five mini-documentaries, which features a day in the life of Ni Luh Made Kariasih—one of Plastic Bank’s collector members in Bali, Indonesia—can be viewed at CooperVision & Sustainability. Additional episodes highlighting different aspects of the plastic neutrality initiative with Plastic Bank will premiere over the coming months.
For more information about CooperVision’s commitment to sustainability, visit coopervision.com/about-us/coopervision-sustainability.
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* CooperVision, through its collaboration with Plastic Bank, to have collected and converted approximately 7.2M kg of plastic destined for waterways as of May 2024. Using Plastic Bank’s metric of 1kg of plastic equaling 50 standard 202mm bottles, that will be the equivalent of approximately 360M plastic bottles not reaching our oceans.
† Range defined as all 1 day brands and segments: sphere, toric, and multifocal.
‡ Plastic used in participating CooperVision soft contact lens products is determined by the weight of plastic in the blister, the lens, and the secondary package, including laminates, adhesives, and auxiliary inputs (e.g. ink). The determination does not include plastic used during the manufacturing process for both these products and their packaging.
References:
1. CVI data on file as of May 2024.
2. CVI data on file, 2021, 2020-2020 Plastic Bank Contract Agreement.
3. CVI data on file, 2024.
4. How Plastic Bank Works. A Social Fintech | About Us | Plastic Bank. Accessed August 22, 2024.
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