Daryl Newsome
President, Association of British Dispensing Opticians
The optical profession is leaping ahead in becoming more sustainable. Find out what you can do with your old specs and contact lenses and how your optician can help.
Manufacturers are working on ways to ensure that the materials in eyewear are as eco-friendly as possible. You can now find wood or bamboo frames and plastic ones made from recycled bottles or reclaimed ocean plastic. There are new lenses on offer made with less plastic, electricity and water, as well as spec cases made from recycled bottles — making your eyewear more sustainable all around.
Impact of your eyes on sustainability
You may be concerned about whether contact lenses are a sustainable choice. Recent research has shown that full-time contact lens wear creates a tiny fraction of the 412 kg of household waste generated per person, per year, in the United Kingdom — just 0.20-0.26% or 0.824–1.0712 kg per year.
Used contact lenses should never be disposed of down the sink or lavatory. If you use reusable contact lenses, you can recycle 78% of waste at home. If you have daily disposable lenses, save your lenses and packaging, and take them all to an optical practice with a recycling point.
Used contact lenses should never be
disposed of down the sink or lavatory.
How to recycle your old specs
Did you know you can recycle your specs, too? In the past, eyeglasses have been collected to send overseas. However, charities have changed to improve training for eye care professionals in these countries, so used specs are no longer needed.
At the same time, there has been an increase in UK companies assisting opticians to recycle frames and lenses. Opticians can now purchase a box to collect your old glasses and send them to be separated into different materials. The metals can be reused and the plastics melted down to create furniture-board. So, if you have a drawer full of unused eyewear, ask your local optician if they will pass them on.
Opt for specs that are built to last
As well as recycling, we need to think about reusing and repairing specs. It can be worth buying a better-quality frame that will last you longer than a cheaper option that will need to be replaced in a couple of years. Ask your dispensing optician for advice on repairs and reglazing frames too.
