Options for Recycling or Donating Eclipse Glasses After April 8 Solar Eclipse: The total solar eclipse that occurred on April 8 drew millions of spectators, and given that the next one will not pass through the United States for another two decades, the disposal of the viewing spectacles utilized during the event becomes a concern.
Many groups offered eclipse-themed glasses. Some may want to keep them as eclipse souvenirs, but others may not know how to recycle or donate them.
Fort Collins Weather Forecast for the 2024 Solar Eclipse
Where can spectacles be recycled or donated following the April 8 solar eclipse?
Reusing your solar eclipse eyewear is the most environmentally friendly course of action, to put it mildly. Fortunately, there are organizations working to distribute these spectacles to individuals who might be able to utilize them once more.
Astronomers Ohne Prejudice
You may donate your eyeglasses to Astronomers Without Borders if you wish for them to benefit a worthy cause. The non-profit organization is collecting “gently used eclipse-viewing glasses” from the US and Canada to distribute to needy communities and institutions abroad for solar eclipses.
They have partnered with other organizations, including Warby Parker, to accept used solar eyewear donations. Astronomers Without Borders’ website features an expanding roster of collection partners specializing in the storage of eclipse spectacles.
The locations of some of their collaborators are listed below.
| STATE | ORGANIZATION | ADDRESS |
|---|---|---|
| National | Warby Parker | 240+ Retail Outlets (Find a Store) |
| Indiana | Vessel Refillery FW | 10376 Leo Road, Suite G, Fort Wayne, IN 46825 |
| Ohio | Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful | Attn: Adam Cassi, 1011 Matzinger Rd., Toledo, OH 43612 |
| Ohio | Twinsburg Public Library | 10050 Ravenna Road, Twinsburg, OH 44087 |
| Vermont | Montshire Museum of Science | 1 Montshire Rd, Norwich, VT 05055 |
| Vermont | Chittenden Solid Waste District | 19 Gregory Drive, Suite 204, South Burlington, VT 05403 |
USA Eclipse Glasses
Additionally, you may donate your undamaged eyewear to Eclipse Glasses USA. By August 1st, the organization will have accumulated donations for the purpose of providing K-12 students in Latin America with secure viewing conditions during the annular eclipse that occurs in October.
The spectacles should be addressed for mailing to: Eclipse spectacles USA, P.O. Box 50571, Provo, UT 84605. For further inquiries, please contact the organization via email at [email protected].
In the event that one’s spectacles have sustained damage beyond the point of donation or reuse, the lenses may be detached and the arms discarded into the recycling bin. Regrettably, the lenses devoid of recyclable qualities may ultimately perish in a landfill.
