Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Guidance for Contact Lenses and Lens Care Products
EuromContact commissioned Anthesis, a sustainability consultancy, to develop a consistent methodology for assessing the environmental impacts of soft
and rigid contact lenses as well as lens care products throughout their entire life cycle (cradle-to-grave).
The document contains guidance to conduct a Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) for contact lenses and lens care products . It covers the entire life cycle, including :
- Production: raw material acquisition and pre-processing (e.g. polymers, packaging), product manufacturing, internal transport, sterilization, packing, and filling
- Distribution: transport to opticians, retailers…
- Use: hand washing, cleaning, and storage of contact lenses
- End-of-life: recycling, landfill, and incineration of products and packaging.
This guidance aims to provide EuromContact members and wider stakeholders with a methodology to conduct life cycle assessments that are consistent, reliable, and comparable.For manufacturers, it enables identification of environmental hotspots in life cycle, testing of alternatives, and opportunities to improve the overall environmental footprint of products.
Download the LCA Guidance : Life Cycle Assessment Guidance Contact Lenses and Lens Care Products