A Guide to Recycling Your Eyewear

 The 18^th of March is Global Recycling Day and every year that goes by it becomes ever more important to take action and make more sustainable choices, not just on Global Recycling Day, but every day.

The last decade has been the hottest on record. We’re continuing to see rising global temperatures, the melting of icecaps, continents on fire, and rapid deforestation.

So how can we, as Opticians, do our bit?

We’re here to encourage all of our customers to make sustainable and ecofriendly choices when it comes to eyewear. Whether you’re a contact lens connoisseur or a frames fashionista, there are options available to you to do your bit for the environment.

 

The Contact Lens Recycling Programme at Opticare

At Opticare, we’ve partnered with ACUVUE and TerraCycle to join the Contact Lens Recycling Programme.

Across the UK, millions of contact lenses are disposed of each year. The programme’s mission is to save over ¾ of a billion contact lenses from causing environmental damage every year through landfill or being flushed away.

We want to make it super easy for you, therefore all you need to do is collect together your old contact lenses and then just pop them into your nearest Opticare Opticians. All of our branches have recycling bins waiting for you.

We can recycle your old contact lenses, any make or brand. Plus, we also accept the blister packaging they came in and the foil backing.

 

Alternatives to Plastic Frames

Due to the plastic pandemic currently taking over, at Opticare we offer alternatives to standard plastic frames, including titanium, stainless steel, and carbon fibre.

Titanium frames are ideal for sensitive skin and those allergic to certain metals, as well as being lightweight and non-corrosive.

Carbon fibre frames are lightweight, tough, and flexible as well as having a sleek and modern look. These are ideal for getting the look of metal glasses but when you need something hypoallergenic.

You can view our full range of frames and styles in-store at one of our branches.

 

Recycling Frames

When getting a new pair of glasses, your first reaction might be to leave the old pair in a drawer and forget about them or just throw them away. However, ecological awareness should lead you to recycle your old glasses. The only problem being, only some components are recyclable so glasses must first be dismantled to separate these components.

If the lenses of your glasses are made of plastic, which is the case for the majority, then they are perfectly recyclable. If the frames are also made from either plastic, steel, or aluminium, then the entire pair of glasses is completely recyclable.

 

How to Recycle Glasses 

• Some recycling centres accept glasses, you can find your nearest using the Recycle Now Website .
• Ask your optician if they collect old glasses. Many do and will pass them on to charities.
• You CANNOT put old glasses in your household recycling bin.

 

Do your bit this Global Recycling Day and help us cut down on CO2 emissions. Think resource not waste.