Flushing disposable contact lenses is adding to plastics pollution

The video discusses the environmental impact of flushing disposable contact lenses. Approximately 20% of the 45 million American contact lens wearers dispose of their lenses by flushing them, contributing to plastic pollution. These lenses do not decompose in sewage treatment plants and instead break into smaller pieces, contaminating wastewater sludge. This sludge, when deposited on land, can lead to lenses entering water bodies, affecting wildlife. Research presented at the American Chemical Society estimates that 1.8 to 3.4 billion lenses are flushed annually, resulting in 20 to 23 metric tons of plastic waste.

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