As an independent optician, EK Eyewear is not only dedicated to keeping your vision crystal clear but we’re also committed to a clear vision for our planet. Our passion for eye health is matched by our love for sustainability and looking after our environment.
It’s not just about finding the perfect frames or contact lenses; it’s about taking responsibility for the full life cycle of these products. We’re proud to lead the charge in recycling glasses and contact lenses, ensuring they help people see better in more ways than one.
Seeing The Future Clearly
We’ve recognised the importance of being environmentally conscious in every aspect of our business. Until recently, the fate of old frames and lenses was a one-way ticket to landfills. However, at EK Eyewear we’re changing this by integrating sustainable practices into how we do things in the practice. We’re excited to be part of a movement that’s redirecting potential waste back into the circular economy, giving materials used in old glasses a new lease on life.
Our recycling partners meticulously separate mixed plastics and metals. This means that instead of contributing to pollution in our beautiful waterways, oceans, and seas, these materials are repurposed, reducing the burden on our precious environment.
How to Recycle Your Glasses with EK Eyewear
Bring in your damaged, outdated, or unused glasses to EK Eyewear, and let us take care of the rest. Our partner, Recycline, ensures that all plastics and metals from frames to screws, cases, and lenses (including tinted and demo lenses) are recovered and reused with zero waste.
The individual materials that are recycled are put back into industry as a raw material, rather than sent to landfill. The sale of these recovered materials, allow them to donate a proportion of profits to charities to help with local and international causes.
Joining Forces with Lions Clubs
You can also recycles glasses with the Lions Club who have been collecting unwanted and damaged pairs of glasses since 1967. What started as a single club activity has grown to become a nationwide effort with clubs from across the UK collecting millions of pairs of spectacles.
They ensure that all donations are meticulously sorted, with usable pairs sent for grading and distribution by oversees charities. The funds raised from scrap metal have been instrumental in supporting eye care projects both in the UK and abroad, with over £675k generated from recycled materials and £486k donated to sight-related charitable causes.
Find your local Lions Recycling point here.
Your Role in the Community
Local councils, including Belfast City Council, play a vital role in recycling spectacles, supporting people in developing countries. While spectacles cannot be disposed of in household recycling bins, dedicated recycling centres across the city are ready to accept your donations.
Find your local recycling centre here.
A New Perspective on Contact Lens Recycling
In addition to glasses, we also make it simple to recycle every component of your contact lens products:
- The little metal lid
- The plastic pod
- The contact lenses themselves
Bring these items to our practice and drop them into our recycling box. We also accept contact lens solution bottles for recycling. For the cardboard packaging, you can easily recycle it in your blue bin at home.
We urge you not to flush contact lenses down the sink or toilet, as they can harm the environment. Our recycling partner, TerraCycle UK, transforms these materials into useful items like indoor and outdoor furniture and gardening equipment, contributing to a greener planet.
Commitment to the Environment and Our Community
At EK Eyewear, our commitment to the environment extends beyond just recycling. We continually strive to adopt sustainable practices within our business operations and encourage our community to do the same. By choosing to recycle your glasses and contact lenses with us, you’re not only taking a step towards looking after the environment but also helping those in need to see the world more clearly.
Join us on our journey towards a more sustainable future. Bring in your eyewear and be a part of the change. Together, we can make a significant impact—one pair of glasses and one contact lens at a time.
