How To Recycle Your Glasses

If your prescription has changed or you have a pair of specs which you no longer use, how can you dispose of them? What can you do with your old glasses?

Spectacles and prescription sunglasses cannot be recycled through kerbside collection, or taken to a recycling centre, so how can recycle spectacles and avoid sending them to landfill?

Reuse Your Favourite Frames

If you like the frames but need a new presription for your glasses, your optician should be able to take your old frames and swap out the lenses. This only works if you have a spare pair to use in the meantime of course!

If your local optician can't do this, online optician Framesavers will put new lenses in your favourite frames.

If you don't wish to reuse your frames, there are a number of charities which you could donate old glasses, usually by recovering the materials used to make them, and recycling them.

Where To Donate Your Glasses For Recycling

Here are some of the places where you can donate your unwanted spectacles for charity.

Specsavers have recently partnered with MYgroup and they have collection boxes in stores where you can dontate your glasses. You can also recycle contact lenses with them as well.
Lions Clubs around the UK collect spectacles for reuse via Chichester Lions. Visit Chilions for more details on how and where to send them.
Some charity shops collect unwanted glasses for recycling, but it varies, so it is worth asking in your local shops.
Recycline recycle spectacles which can be donated at various opticians across the UK, including Boots Opticians, some independant opticians and household recycling centres. Check their website for locations.
Peep Eyewear accept glasses both modern and vintage for reuse or recycling as well. If they can reuse the frames they will, otherwise they donate them to Lions Club.
The Lions Club International have national eyeglasses collection programmes in the US and Australia.
Vision Aid Overseas no longer collect glasses for recycling.

Remember that your old prescription glasses should never be given to anyone else to use, as this could damage their eyes, however off-the-peg reading glasses can safely be used by another person.

Start Your Own Glasses Recycling Scheme

If you are the owner or manager of a shop you can start collecting unwanted spectacles yourself by contacting Recycleline and requesting a collection box for placing in a store.

There is a charge for ordering your box.

How To Recycle Your Glasses

Reuse Your Favourite Frames

Where To Donate Your Glasses For Recycling

Start Your Own Glasses Recycling Scheme

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