How can I recycle my old glasses?
You can always re use your old frames as most opticians will put new lenses in existing frames. If you no longer need your glasses or want a new look, the following organisations will recycle your old frames:
SpecSavers and MYgroup
Specsavers has partnered with MYgroup so that customers can recycle their glasses near them, free of charge by bringing them into their local store. Recycling boxes for you drop your old glasses in are available in in some UK stores. Not all stores offer this option so please check before travelling.
Peep
Send your glasses to Peep Donations, PO Box 10879, Loughborough LE12 8FU. They will either upcycle, restore, reuse the parts or resell them and give a donation to their charity partner Lions Club and plant a tree. They ask that you pack your glasses as lightly and as sustainably as you can. Further information including a discount code for your efforts can be found on the Peep website.
Lions Club
Lions Clubs throughout the UK collect glasses which are sent to a central recycling centre to be checked and recycled or redistributed to eye clinics in Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Nigeria, and Nepal. They also supply volunteers from the ‘Unite for Sight’ charity with glasses to take with them on missions to countries across the world. Further information can be found on the Lions Club website or contact them on 0121 441 4544.
Recycline
The Recycline website has a search facility so that you can find opticians near you that will allow you to drop off your old glasses for recycling. Other ideas for recycling your frames can be found on the Forge Recycling website.
Retrospecced
Retrospecced have partnered with Zikomo Trust, Lions Club and Vision Action to upcycle or donate to those in need any unwanted old glasses. Further details including where to send your old glasses can be found on the Retrospecced website.
