Solar eclipse glasses: How to save, recycle and donate
After enjoying the rare and striking phenomenon, many people wonder what to do with their glasses. NASA and other experts suggest a few options.
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FOX Weather's Stephen Morgan takes us through totality and all the emotions of the phenomenon as darkness descended on Dallas Monday afternoon. Carrie Black of the National Science Foundation joins him. "This was an amazing experience," he said.
Many Americans picked up special "eclipse glasses" to see the solar eclipse on Monday.
But what should people do with their glasses now that the rare and striking phenomenon is over?
According to NASA and other experts, there are a few options.
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People wear glasses to see the solar eclipse near Fox News Channel Studios on April 08, 2024, in New York City.
(John Lamparski / Getty Images)
Save eclipse glasses
If your eclipse glasses are compliant with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard, NASA said you may look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun through them for as long as you wish.
This means, if the filters aren't scratched, punctured or torn, you may reuse them indefinitely.
Some glasses are printed with warnings stating that you shouldn't look through them for more than three minutes at a time and that you should discard them if they are more than three years old.
However, according to the space agency, these warnings are outdated and do not apply to eclipse viewers compliant with the ISO 12312-2 standard adopted in 2015.
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The eclipse hits totality over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 8, 2024.
(Christopher Mark Juhn / Anadolu / Getty Images)
Recycle eclipse glasses
According to Earth911.com, you can also choose to recycle your eclipse glasses by removing the protective solar-filter lenses and tossing paper frames into a recycling bin.
You’ll likely need to toss out your solar-filter lenses, but the frames are usually paper or cardboard, so they’re likely acceptable with other paper recyclables.
Be aware that plastic frames will likely not be acceptable with traditional plastic recycling, so you’ll want to trash these.
Donate glasses
You can also consider donating your glasses to Astronomers Without Borders (AWB), a non-profit organization running its second nationwide eclipse glasses recycling drive.
The group collected tens of thousands of glasses for distribution in South America, Asia and Africa after the 2017 Great American Total Solar Eclipse.
The business ships repurposed glasses for use by underserved communities around the world for future solar eclipses.
AWB has teamed up with more than 300 schools, museums, city governments, businesses, organizations and libraries that will collect the glasses, so check with these organizations and businesses to find out where you can donate yours.
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Skydive the Falls offered a unique venue for the solar eclipse. They took 30 people skydiving over Niagara Falls.
If you’re unsure where to look, companies like Warby Parker will be participating. If your solar eclipse glasses are still in usable condition (not bent, scratched or broken), you can bring them back to any of their stores any time before April 30th. They will then send all donated solar eclipse glasses to AWB, who will then distribute them to educators and students around the world.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.