Well, glasses remain a kind of disposable product. But they are an indispensable disposable product. And not one you buy second-hand easily, either. Yes, maybe the frames. Or some crazy vintage sunglasses with no prescription. But not your prescription glasses. So what do you do with them when your eyes change, your tastes change or you just need a new one? Exactly. Then those old glasses end up in a drawer. Or worse: in the bin. That can be done differently. Because we got a lot of questions about this from our followers, we went looking for the best places to return your old glasses.
What to do with your old glasses?
More than 60% of Dutch people wear glasses and the number is growing. Particularly among young people, myopia is increasing significantly. This is worrying, but it also leads to a growing pile of old glasses. Can you actually recycle or reuse them? The short answer is: yes. But it's not easy. Making frames often requires fossil raw materials. And the combination of materials - such as plastic, metal and fibreglass - makes recycling difficult. Even the lenses, usually made of plastic such as CR39, are not easily reusable. More on the environmental impact of eyewear read here. And donating? That sounds like a nice gesture, but is also not always easy. After all, glasses with a specific prescription and cylinder are quite personal. The chances of someone else needing exactly the same correction are slim.
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Also, many old glasses simply disappear into a drawer after a few years. Or worse: in the residual waste. And that is a shame. Because handing in old glasses - for donation or recycling - is indeed a smart and sustainable move. Many people do not know that there are eyewear projects that focus on this, we notice from the reactions of our followers and readers. Roughly speaking, there are two options: you can donate your glasses, so that someone else can still use them, or you can hand them in for recycling, where usable parts are reprocessed. In both cases, you avoid waste and give your glasses a second life.
Where can you drop off old glasses for charity or recycling?
Wondering where you can return your old glasses? We have sorted out the possibilities for you. From opticians with a collection box for recycling to global aid organisations and eyewear projects for opticians in training: these are the places where your glasses are still of value.
EyeCare Circular
EyeCare Circular is the recycling initiative of EyeCare Opticiens, a chain of optician shops throughout the Netherlands. Not only can you dispose of your old glasses, but also spectacle cases, glasses wipes, spray bottles, contact lens blisters, holders, liquid bottles and even hearing aids. And: you don't have to have bought your glasses from them - everything is welcome. You can hand in at any of the affiliated EyeCare shops; their website lists all locations. The collected items go to a sheltered workshop, where they are carefully taken apart. The materials - from metal to plastic - are then recycled separately. Social and circular, in other words.
Betuwe Worldwide glasses project foundation
A great example of how an old pair of glasses can really change someone's life is Betuwe Worldwide Foundation's eyewear project. Twice a year, optician Michiel Noordhof travels to Tanzania to perform eye measurements and distribute spectacles to people there who otherwise have no access to eye care. The glasses are collected in the Netherlands, then carefully cleaned, checked and measured. Afterwards, they are distributed on location as customised as possible. Meanwhile, thousands of glasses have already been given a second life on a new nose. Drop-off points can be found on the site, but you can also drop them off in some World Shops. Betuwe Wereldwijd Foundation thus continues the work of Matamba Foundation, and shows how reuse can really make a world of difference.
Optician Foundation on coffee
Closer to home, beautiful things are also being done with old glasses. Optician for coffee is an initiative of a socially committed optician from the Nijmegen region. His mission: to make eye care accessible to people who normally do not have the money for it. To this end, he reuses spectacles collected in the Netherlands. You can hand them in via temporary pop-up service points, at his home in Wijchen or simply by post. He himself is mainly active in the Wijchen, Beuningen and Nijmegen area, but submissions are possible from all over the country. A great example of how local initiative can really make a difference, with your old glasses as a contribution.
Donate glasses to Pearle (including for future opticians)
Also at Pearle you can hand in your old glasses. This applies to prescription glasses as well as sunglasses. At the shop, you hand in your glasses, after which they are sent to a processing centre. There, the glasses are sorted: some are suitable for reuse, while others are donated to optics schools for practice. Each frame is taken apart so that the different materials - from metal to plastic - can be properly processed. Thus, your old glasses start a new chapter, and you contribute to less waste.
Glasses handed in at Lions Clubs
Lions Clubs are active with social projects around the world, and in the Netherlands too, local chapters are working for a better society. One of the initiatives organised by some clubs is the collection of old glasses. Returned glasses are collected via special collection points or by post, checked and - where possible - recycled or reused. In this way, the Lions ensure that people in other parts of the world also have access to suitable spectacles. Would you like to submit your glasses through this route? Then contact a Lions Club in your area to check if a collection campaign is running.
Where will you donate your old glasses?
A pair of worn or outdated glasses? Don't just throw them away, there are better uses for them. See if you can turn them in for donation or recycling. This will give your glasses a second life and help prevent waste. Tip: Keep one yourself as a spare. Always handy if your current glasses break or are lost. Have you found another fun or clever use for your old glasses? Let us know, we would love to share your tip with our readers!
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- Also see: places where you can donate clothes to charity (and it ends up really well).
- Also see: places where you can sell old books well (online)!
Sources: eye hospital.nl, CBS. Photo credits: Cottonbro.
