© 2026 ABC News

\"I want people to know that what goes down the sink or toilet is potentially dangerous to the environment and we need to be aware of what we’re putting down there, especially as it pertains to contact lenses. And I really want people to know that there are options for recycling these things instead of just tossing them, even in the trash can. Through recycling programs we’re able to repackage those and rework them into the system, which is great, they don’t end up in the environment. And really also be aware of what types of plastics are necessary, like our contact lenses, and what types of plastic are avoidable, like plastic bags, utensils, straws, so on and so forth,” concluded Rolsky.

Inside Science is an editorially-independent nonprofit print, electronic and video journalism news service owned and operated by the American Institute of Physics.

\"PHOTO:
PHOTO: Inside Science
>","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Technology/flushing-contact-lenses-toilet-threatens-environment/story?id=64061615","legacySlug":"/news/story/flushing-contact-lenses-toilet-threatens-environment-64061615","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"21:05","publishDate":"07-01-2019","updatedTime":"12:16","updatedDate":"07-02-2019","socialImage":{"alt":"A person holds a contact lens in an undated stock photo.","credit":"STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Technology/contact-lens-rf-gty-jc-190701_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"7/1/2019 21:05:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":64061615,"headline":"Why you shouldn't flush contact lenses","mediaAssetTitle":"INSIDE SCIENCE_contact lens_010719","description":"What goes down our drains could harm the environment.","duration":"0:41","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/07/190702_wnn_lenses_toilet_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["135812210","135707633","135382432"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"August 20, 2026","headline":"Fantasy football players serving their time for coming in last place","section":"News","slug":"/video/135812210","id":"135812210","image":{"alt":"With millions of fantasy football leagues around the world, the quest to generate the most unique and hilarious last place punishment has become an annual internet tradition.","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"With millions of fantasy football leagues around the world, the quest to generate the most unique and hilarious last place punishment has become an annual internet tradition.","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/football_fantasy_gmafl_260820_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"August 17, 2026","headline":"'Dance Dance Revolution' ignites sibling rivalry","section":"News","slug":"/video/135707633","id":"135707633","image":{"alt":"Millions on social media turned to watch a sibling rivalry take center stage in a Dance Dance Revolution battle.","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"Millions on social media turned to watch a sibling rivalry take center stage in a Dance Dance Revolution battle.","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/dance_danny_gmafl_260817_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"August 5, 2026","headline":"New Jersey sues Amazon","section":"News","slug":"/video/135382432","id":"135382432","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: New Jersey sues Amazon","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: New Jersey sues Amazon","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260805_gma_norwood2_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Why you shouldn't flush contact lenses","description":"What goes down our drains could harm the environment.","duration":"0:41","uploadDate":"07-01-2019","publication":"07-01-2019","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/07/190702_wnn_lenses_toilet_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2019/07/190702_wnn_lenses_toilet_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/flushing-contact-lenses-toilet-threatens-environment-64061615"}},"playlist":[{"id":"135803895","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135768595","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135739178","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135734125","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135706030","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135592333","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135619397","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135617187","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135574939","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135591318","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135555293","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135548166","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135545791","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135521103","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135515317","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135453822","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135450294","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135420050","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135435408","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135394092","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Why you shouldn't flush contact lenses","pubTime":"17:05","pubDate":"07-01-2019","modTime":"08:16","modDate":"07-02-2019","taxonomyTags":"none","id":64061615,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Why you shouldn't flush contact lenses","mediaAssetTitle":"INSIDE SCIENCE_contact lens_010719","videoId":64061615,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/flushing-contact-lenses-toilet-threatens-environment-64061615"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/64061615","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/64061615","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};