Glasses, including spectacles, reading glasses and sunglasses, should never be put in your recycling bin at home. Fortunately, there are both reuse and recycling options available, so your old glasses can have a second life.
Donating glasses in good condition for reuse
If your glasses are in good condition, you can donate them to your local charity shop such as Salvos and Red Cross. You can also donate them to the recycling and reuse programs listed below.
Recycling and reuse programs
Lions Recycle for Sight Australia
As part of the Lions Clubs International Worldwide Eyeglass Recycling Program, you can drop off or mail your unwanted glasses, spectacles, hearing aids and unused contact lenses to Lions Club to be distributed to those in need in Australia and abroad.
Lions has partnered with Specsavers to provide Australians around the country with drop-off points. Visit your local store to drop off your unwanted glasses.
Alternatively, you can mail them to Lions (please remove the glasses from any cases and pop them in a padded bag or bubble wrap):
Reply Paid 3021
Lions Recycle for Sight
PO Box 3021
Clontarf MDC Qld 4019
Optometrists
The following Optometrists accept donations of spectacles for reuse. If you know of any others that accept donations, please email us at recycling@planetark.org
Please note: it's important to ensure the donated glasses are in good working order, without scratched lenses or damage to the frames.
East Lakes Eye Care
Eastlakes Mall, Evans Avenue, Eastlakes, NSW 2018
Phone: (02) 9667 3545
Email: eastlakeseyecare@gmail.com
Website: www.eastlakeseyecare.com.au
Noble Optical
1A Leonard Avenue, Noble Park, Victoria 3174
Phone: (03) 9547 5711
Recycling glasses in poor condition
Eyeglasses and spectacles that are in poor condition, as well as contact lenses, can be recycled through Opticycle. Drop them off at your local Specsavers store or use the store locator on their website to find a drop-off point near you. Opticycle will recycle the lenses and the frame.
What happens to them?
Reuse
Glasses collected through the reuse/donation programs are distributed worldwide to communities in need. In some of these communities, an eye exam can cost a month's wages. Consequently, poor eyesight often goes untreated, leading to further complications. The simple donation of unwanted glasses can make a huge difference to someone living in less fortunate circumstances.
Recycling
Glasses and lenses collected for recycling by Opticycle are transported to their processing facility where they are sorted based on their core material composition. Lenses are then removed from the frames before they are dismantled and separated into different materials such as metal and plastic. The materials are then passed on to local companies as raw materials to be used in the manufacture of new products.
