Organization in California to collect, donate solar eclipse glasses

FORT MYERS, Fla. The long-awaited solar eclipse made its way across the U.S. Monday and many viewers are unsure of what to do with their glasses now that it’s over.

A California based organization called Astronomers Without Boundaries is planning to collect as many eclipse glasses as possible to distribute to other countries for future eclipses.

The organization will first make sure the glasses are not counterfeit or unsafe before sending them out to people in South America and Asia for the next celestial event in 2019, Astronomers Without Borders spokesperson Scott Roberts said.

“Everyone can benefit from such a program, it will be directed at educational programs, schools, underprivileged. You know people who might not have access to the equipment,” Roberts said.

Many local libraries distributed glasses at no charge, but they won’t be taking them back.

The Lee County Department of Solid Waste advises residents to toss out the glasses, but residents in Collier County are asked to recycle them.

“What we ask you to do is remove the lens from the cardboard,” Collier County recycling coordinator Joseph McClamma said. “And then recycle the remainder of the cardboard.”

Astronomers Without Borders is working to set up drop-off boxes at local retailers. In the meantime, solar eclipse glasses can be mailed to Explore Scientific LLC at 1010 South 48th Street, Springdale, AR 72762.