COLUMBUS, Ohio — The April 8 total solar eclipse has garnered anticipation and excitement for months prior to the event. But once it's over, what is everyone supposed to do with their eclipse glasses?
For those who don't plan on keeping their glasses as a memento, SWACO has teamed up with the city of Columbus, Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks and the Columbus Zoo to collect the used glasses for reuse.
Through Solar Eclipse USA, the collected glasses will be sent to schools in Latin America and distributed to school-aged children so they can safely view the October 2024 annular eclipse.
Franklin County residents can participate in two ways:
- Attend a participating eclipse viewing watch party, including the Columbus Zoo or one at the Columbus & Franklin County Metro Parks in the path of totality (Glacier Ridge, Highbanks, Homestead, Prairie Oaks and Sharon Woods) and leave your glasses in the available collection containers before leaving the event.
- Drop off your gently used solar eclipse glasses at one of the following locations before April 30. Collection locations include:
- SWACO Recycling Convenience Center, 2566 Jackson Pike, Columbus
- Columbus Waste & Reuse Center, 2100 Alum Creek Dr., Columbus
- Participating Columbus & Franklin County Metro Park Nature Centers at:
- Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Dr., Galloway
- Blacklick Woods, 6975 E. Livingston Ave., Reynoldsburg
- Blendon Woods, 4265 E. Dublin Granville Rd., Columbus
- Highbanks, 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center
Glasses can also be dropped off at any Columbus Metropolitan Library location until April 18.
Solar eclipse glasses typically can not be put with regular household recycling due to the mixed material nature of the glasses, causing them not to be accepted as part of Franklin County's curbside recycling program.