Gather up your old prescription or nonprescription glasses or sunglasses - even parts and old lenses. We'll tell you how to give them a second life.
UPDATE: This is a post from 2009. We updated it with current information in 2015. Here's a link to that post: Where to Recycle Eyeglasses in Boston – Updating a Reader Favorite
Cleaning out a box of old papers that belonged to a family member, I found this assortment of eyeglasses and lenses.
Last year, I did a story on the efforts of a local Lions Club to collect and recycle eyeglasses. So I'll be dropping these off at the Boston Public Library.
The donation box in the photo is inside the Boylston Street entrance of the Copley Square Branch of the Boston Public Library (BPL). It is there to accept your donation of prescription or nonprescription glasses or sunglasses - even parts and old lenses. The program is especially in need of children's glasses.
"The used eyeglasses are cleaned and classified by prescription. Trained Lions volunteers and other organizations hosting optical missions in developing countries then distribute the glasses to those in need," says the club's web lions page on eyeglass recycling.
Update Note: This post is from 2009. The Boston Public Library no longer has glass recycling boxes. Thanks to commenter Yup for letting us know.
The Boston Host Lions Club lists drop off boxes at the following branches of the BPL – Copley, North End, South End, and Kirstein Business Library. They also list several optical centers that accept donations on their behalf including Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary. If you use the club locator feature on the website below, you can find the drop off center nearest you or download a list of addresses to mail recycled glasses.
Details:
Lions Club International's Eyeglass Recycling Program
http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/vision_eyeglass_recycling.shtml
Photos: by Penny Cherubino © 2008-2009 Penny Cherubino
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