MENTONE Optical Service is making an effort to divert their contact lenses, blister packs, and cases from landfill as part of a national recycling program.
The optometrist is collecting all brands of used contacts, blister packs, and cases to ship them off to be shredded, cleaned, and melted down into raw materials.
The raw material can be used for many different purposes, including to create playgrounds, garden beds, and park benches.
The program is run in partnership with Terracycle, a recycling company that aims to make use of hard to recycle materials.
Mentone Optical Service spokesman Adam Fortune said the business joined the recycling program to keep more “non-recyclable” waste out of landfill.
“We signed up to the Terracycle recycling programme to be able to recycle more at work and at home,” he said.
“Collecting used contact lens waste in-store helps us contribute to the war on waste in our community.”
Terracycle Australia general manager Jean Bailliard said that he is “really driven by the commitment of Australian businesses to recycling with our programs, and by their hard work in raising awareness about waste and sustainability.”
Used items to be recycled can be collected at Mentone Optical Service, 18 Como Parade West, Mentone.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 19 September 2018
