How to Recycle Eyeglasses: Easy Guide to Recycle Your Glasses

Most people need glasses at some point in their life, ranging from corrective lenses to sunglasses: but what do you do when you’re ready to move on to a fresh pair?

Whether you’re ready to move on to a new pair, or you’re simply asking yourself, ‘can you recycle eyeglasses,’ here’s everything you need to know.

Can You Recycle Eyeglasses?

Eyeglasses can be recycled, but it does take a little bit of work, requiring you to take them apart so you have a bare frame of metal, wood, or plastic, the glass lenses, and the metal screws that held them together.

Donating vs. Recycling Eyeglasses

Donating is when you give it to a service like a nonprofit or a company that will repurpose the glasses so that they can be worn again.

Donating Eyeglasses

Pros: – You can get a tax deduction from some nonprofits – You get the good feeling of helping a company – You can keep things out of landfills Cons: – Besides taxes, there’s usually no financial benefit – If there are minor scratches or issues, they’ll often be tossed in the trash – Researching companies to ensure they align with what you want in a nonprofit can stress some people out

Recycling Eyeglasses

Pros: – You save glasses from going into landfills – Some companies will pay you for your glasses’ parts – You can get a tax deduction if you recycle through a nonprofit that uses its parts Cons: – If you don’t take them apart first, some recycling processes will trash them because of the time it takes to process them – Cracked glass can’t be donated and has to be trashed – There are a couple more steps to passing them on

Where to Recycle and Donate Eyeglasses?

If you’re getting ready to donate or recycle your glasses: there are tons of options at your fingertips!

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