CooperVision reaches half-billion bottle milestone in Net Plastic Neutrality Initiative

CooperVision, a division of CooperCompanies (Nasdaq: COO) and a leading manufacturer of contact lenses, announced it has reached a significant milestone in its pioneering net plastic neutrality initiative. Eyecare professionals and contact lens wearers have now prevented the equivalent of more than half a billion plastic bottles from entering the world’s oceans, the company said, thanks to the global partnership between CooperVision and Plastic Bank, a social enterprise that helps to eliminate ocean plastic while improving the lives of collector communities.

“Ahead of Earth Day, we are thrilled to celebrate this incredible accomplishment,” said Aldo Zucaro, senior director, corporate responsibility, CooperCompanies. “Practitioners and wearers who choose CooperVision net plastic neutral contact lenses have been central to creating such an enormous impact, and we are proud to have partnered with them and Plastic Bank in helping People + Planet. Every bottle collected prevents plastic waste from polluting our oceans and land, helping to protect ecosystems and wildlife. Half a billion bottles is an amazing milestone—if you put them end-to-end, you could circle the earth two and a half times.”

In partnership with Plastic Bank, CooperVision funds the collection and recycling of ocean-bound plastic equivalent to the weight of plastic used across a range of its participating soft contact lenses, including the lens, blister and packaging components, that are sold and distributed across 34 countries throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

“While the achievement should be celebrated, it is not our end goal—we are always seeking ways to do more,” added Zucaro. “This journey is ongoing, and we are excited for what’s ahead. Together, we can make an even greater difference for People + Planet.”

Beyond the environmental benefits, CooperVision’s net plastic neutrality initiative elevates the lives of Plastic Bank collector members in hundreds of coastal communities. 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. CooperVision also provides vision screenings and vouchers for complimentary eye examinations and spectacles for eligible Plastic Bank collection members.

CooperVision and Plastic Bank have been partners since the initiative’s start in 2021. A mini-documentary series filmed on site in Indonesia highlights different aspects of the collaboration, with an episode available now and more to come. Click here to watch the mini-documentary.