Is it possible to recycle plastic contact lens cases?
Unfortunately, they cannot be recycled in your blue top recycling bin.
Take to Specsavers. They allow customers to recycle unwanted glasses, sunglasses, cases, contact lens packaging, solution bottles and other optical waste, regardless of where the items were originally purchased. They expanded the scheme in June 2026.
Originally launched in 2022, the programme has continued to grow as part of Specsavers’ wider sustainability strategy. Through the partnership, MYGroup collects and processes hard-to-recycle materials that would otherwise be destined for landfill or energy recovery, transforming plastic into valuable new products.
The impact of the scheme is already significant. During 2025 alone, 72 tonnes of material was collected (that is a lot of contact lenses cases!) and recycled across Specsavers stores and laboratories, demonstrating the growing appetite among consumers for practical recycling solutions for difficult-to-recycle products.
