Stop throwing away contact lenses and worry about environmental impact November 18th 6:55

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An estimated 3 billion contact lenses are shipped annually. However, as a result of the survey that only one out of five people throw away the lens outside the trash can is collected, there is a risk that it may lead to “micro plastics” that are concerned about the impact on the environment in organizations such as dealers. We are calling for you to dispose of it correctly.

The survey was conducted by the Japan Contact Lens Association, which was made by dealers, and in January, 2400 people were surveyed via the Internet. I came to a person.

The most common among them was 33.3% in the bathroom and sink, and 15.1% in the toilet.

Estimated 3 billion contact lenses are shipped annually in Japan, and the association disposes correctly according to the instructions of the local government because it may lead to “micro plastic”, which is concerned about environmental pollution and impact on the ecosystem. I want you to do it.

Considering the impact on the environment for disposable contact lens cases, major sales companies are collecting and recycling them at stores, and Tokyo girls' high schools are also carrying out activities to collect cases that came out at home. It means that more than 35,000 items were collected in the school in two and a half years.

Professor Hideshige Takada of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, who is familiar with microplastic issues, said, “Some may have flowed into rivers and the sea, affecting creatures and the environment. The impact is not small by the same action. I want you to think about the end of the discarded garbage. "

Association calls for recycling

Last year, an American research group published an estimate that about 1.8 to 3.36 billion contact lenses could be drained into sewage annually across the United States. did.

According to the Japan Contact Lens Association, the number of Japanese contact lens users is estimated to be between 16 and 22 million, with an estimated 3 billion shipped annually.

In response to a survey result that 1 in 5 people are throwing away other than trash, the association calls for recycling mainly at dealers.

Sales company “I want to raise awareness of recycling”

Contact lens and related goods sales companies have started collecting disposable contact lens cases in cooperation with stores nationwide, over 540 companies and approximately 1000 schools.

Since all manufacturers use the same materials for disposable contact lens cases, it is easy to recycle. So far, 331 tons have been collected, and approximately 290 million cases have been collected for recycling. It means that.

Mitobe Mitobe, a major sales company, “I City”, says, “Recently, customers are bringing cases. We want to raise awareness of recycling by enlightening customers at the time of sales.”

Collection box at school

Tokyo Women's Gakuin Junior and Senior High School in Nerima-ku, Tokyo, collects contact lens cases that come out at home by installing a collection box in each class in order to carry out activities useful to society and the environment.

In the past two and a half years, we collected 35,100 cases weighing 35.1 kg.

One girl student said, “If it is properly collected, we can reduce carbon dioxide and change it to a new product. I hope that more activities will be promoted to know that recycling is good for the environment.” I was talking.