Stop Flushing Your Contact Lenses Down The Toilet
A new study found that 21 percent of people either flush their used contact lenses down the toilet or rinse them down the sink. That’s bad. The information from The…
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – DECEMBER 10: Compostable and recyclable containers sit on the sidewalk before they are picked up by a Recology truck December 10, 2010 in San Francisco, California. One year after the San Francisco board of supervisors passed the nation’s strictest recycling law, the residents of San Francisco have composts more than any other city in the country, with a 200 percent one year jump in composting. The city has also achieved a better than expected 77 percent diversion from landfill goal that was set at 75 percent by 2010, the nation’s highest for any city.
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesA new study found that 21 percent of people either flush their used contact lenses down the toilet or rinse them down the sink. That's bad.
The information from The American Chemical Society conference says this is potentially awful for the environment. Contact lenses don't decompose well. If 3 billion contacts are being rinsed away every year into our water systems, 50 tons of discarded contacts could wind up in the water supply. The sewage sludge from that water is used to fertilize crops. The micro plastic from the contacts could have an impact on insects, small animals and the ground water could make its way into the ocean. So, STOP FLUSHING YOUR CONTACTS! Be honest - have you ever flushed or rinsed your contacts down the drain? Why didn't you just throw them away?
