Maryville Lions Club recycles used eyeglasses.
Locally, we collect and recycle over 5000 pairs of used glasses each year for use in other countries and by the Remote Area Medical program.
Our volunteers regularly collect the glasses and deliver them for processing. The glasses are then cleaned, polished, tagged according to prescription, and then cataloged for redistribution. Unfortunately, we cannot use broken glasses, or lenses removed from glasses.
Since COVID our recycling process has been to deliver our glasses to a Lions facility in Johnson City/Gray, TN where they are sorted, crated and shipped to a facility in California called ReSpec for recycling. Our district receives a small stipend back which is then distributed among our clubs and programs for eye preservation,.
Our collection boxes are visible in local businesses all over the area for anyone to drop off used glasses.
Q: Do you take broken glasses?
A: No. Unfortunately we don’t have a way to repair them.
Q: Do you take eyeglass cases?
A: We don’t recycle them with the glasses but we are donating “new” looking cases to our local Smoky Mountain Lions Charities for the Vision Van and Clinic they sponsor at the Ft. City Lions Club each month.
Q: How do I become a collection site?
A: If you think your business would be a good location for eyeglass collection, email us. We’ll drop off a collection box and schedule a recurring pickup time.
Q: What do I do if the box gets full before someone comes?
A: Email us and we’ll send someone out right away.