More than half of Brits (59%) wear glasses. We’re a nation reliant on our trusty spectacles to help us navigate life with optimal vision. However, as the average pair lasts just one to three years, we go through tens of glasses in our lives. This begs the question: what do you do with an old pair of glasses once your prescription has been updated or you want to try out a new style?
With a global drive towards sustainability, the last thing you want is your eyewear to be picking up dust at the back of a drawer or languishing at the bottom of a rubbish tip when they can be reused. Here are three things you can do with your old pair of glasses instead of simply throwing them away.
1. Recycle them
Sending your glasses (or any other types of recyclable waste) to landfill is a big no-no. Not only is further contributing to environmentally unfriendly landfills a bad idea in itself, but it also prevents materials from being recycled.
By recycling your glasses, you reduce the need to manufacture new glass-based products and all the environmental damage that comes with doing so. As explained by waste management company Bywaters: “By recycling glass, you’re helping to reduce emissions of harmful gases that are normally produced when it is manufactured. This includes sulphur dioxide, which contributes to climate change, and nitrogen oxide, which is especially bad for health.”
Bywaters offer a glass recycling service where all recycled glass is either melted down and reformed to create new products, or reused by the construction industry as aggregate. This means you can get rid of your old glasses and do your bit for the planet.
2. Give them to charity
Provided your glasses are in good condition, you could consider donating them to charity. That said, it’s not recommended to donate them directly to charity shops unless they have a designated glasses recycling collection box. This is because they won’t be able to re-sell glasses with prescription lenses, meaning they could just end up in landfill after all. Many charity shops do accept reading glasses, however.
Otherwise, a good way to donate your eyewear to charity is through Marie Curie, which offers care and support to people with terminal illnesses (as well as their families). The charity has a scheme with The Lions Club to actually recycle glasses and raise money for charity projects. Alternatively, you can donate them directly to The Lions Club, which will use them to raise funds for sight-related charity initiatives.
3. Sell them
If you’re a bit short on money, selling your glasses to a new owner could be the ideal way of parting ways with them. Sites like Preloved and eBay let you put up pre-owned eyewear for sale, enabling you to recoup some of the money you paid for them. Although you’ll only get a fraction of this original outlay back, it’s better than nothing.
Second-hand glasses are all the rage right now, with the likes of Peep running entire businesses around selling pre-owned designer frames. Perhaps these websites could be where you get your next new pair of glasses from too, helping you do even more for the environment with your eyewear choices.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
