Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses can be donated to local community service organizations that will distribute them to people in need. National organizations like Lions Clubs, OneSight, VSP Global Eyes of Hope , and other service groups accept them for reuse. 

Lions in Sight, located in California and Nevada, accepts eyeglasses, sunglasses (prescription and non-prescription), broken eyeglass parts, and clip-on sunglasses with metal parts through a mail-back program. See details. 

For donations of regular eyeglasses, see the list of Donation Locations below.

Solar Eclipse Glasses

Due to the mixed material nature of eclipse-viewing glasses (cardstock and solar film), the glasses are not recyclable curbside.

NEW RECYCLING INFO: Eclipse glasses not taken to a special drop-off for reuse can be recycled at a mixed paper recycling bin after REMOVING THE SOLAR FILM. The solar film should be placed in the trash. The green and yellow mixed paper bins, operated by Paper Retriever or River Valley Paper Company, are typically located in the parking lots of schools, places of worship, and community centers. These paper-only collection bins are hauled directly to a local mixed paper (fiber) recycling plant. 

Solar eclipse glasses should not be placed in curbside recycling. The glasses are too small to be sorted properly at the materials recovery facility (MRF) that receives curbside recyclables. Small items fall through the recycling plant's fast-moving conveyor belts and end up in the trash. 

SPECIAL COLLECTION: The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District is collaborating with Astronomers Without Borders to collect eclipse glasses at solar eclipse events in Cuyahoga County. Collected glasses will be vetted for quality and then sent to Astronomers Without Borders for reuse at future solar eclipse events worldwide. Any glasses that are damaged/not reusable will be taken to a local specialty recycler capable of separating the solar film from the paper cardstock. 

If your organization served as a collection point following the April total eclipse event, see the instructions on preparing your collected eclipse glasses for drop-off. We are accepting ECLIPSE GLASSES ONLY. Please do not include event flyers, stickers, merchandise, or other giveaways from your event. Contact us with questions. 

** Solar Eclipse Glasses Drop-off Locations **

• Garfield Heights: Solid Waste District HQ, 4750 East 131 Street. Drop-off Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.

---

Looking to recycle, donate or dispose of other items? Use the dark blue 'What Do I Do With?' search bar at the top of every page of this website. Allow location services or use the city drop-down to find opportunities in your local area.