TerraCycle Gives Eyewear Waste a Second Look with SpecCycle

Trenton, N.J., July 24, 2025 — Got a drawer full of scratched sunglasses, broken frames, or outdated prescription glasses? You’re not alone—and now there’s a better way to keep them out of landfills or incinerators. SpecCycle™, a new nationwide eyewear recycling solution from TerraCycle®, has officially launched to make eyewear recycling easier than ever.

The need for eyewear recycling is growing—but most consumers don’t even realize it’s a problem. A 2021 study found that 71% of eyeglass wearers replace their frames every one to two years, with about one-third discarding their old eyewear entirely. As a result, waste continues to climb: a 2023 report from Eyewear Intelligence estimates that more than four million pairs of glasses—roughly 250 metric tons—are discarded annually in North America.

SpecCycle is designed for eyewear that can’t be donated—whether it’s scratched, broken, outdated, or missing parts. The solution accepts a wide range of materials, including prescription glasses, sunglasses, safety goggles, plastic lenses, and other vision-related items that typically end up in landfills or incinerators. If it once helped you see and can’t be put to further use, SpecCycle can help you recycle it.

“Eyewear doesn’t seem like waste—until you realize how often it’s replaced and how rarely it’s recycled,” said Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “SpecCycle gives consumers, clinics, and eye care providers a national path to easily recycle materials that typically end up in drawers, dumpsters, or landfills—keeping them in circulation instead of in the trash.”

SpecCycle offers specialized Zero Waste Boxes™ to help individuals, eye care providers, schools, and businesses responsibly recycle a wide range of eyewear materials, including:

● SpecCycle Eyewear – Zero Waste Box™ — Recycle all brands and types of eyewear, including broken prescription glasses, sunglasses, safety goggles, and ski or swim goggles.

● SpecCycle Personal Care Accessories – Zero Waste Box™ — Accepts eye care accessories such as empty contact solution bottles, caps, and single-dose eye drop vials.

● SpecCycle Protective Eyewear – Zero Waste Box™ — Designed for protective eyewear made from acrylic, plastic, metal, nylon, and polycarbonate (PC), including safety, swim, and tanning goggles.

● SpecCycle All-In-One – Zero Waste Box™ — A flexible option for mixed waste commonly generated in vision care settings, including plastic and paper packaging, shipping materials, office supplies, and non-recyclable wrappers.

SpecCycle simplifies eyewear recycling for individuals, clinics, schools, and businesses. Participants order the appropriate SpecCycle Zero Waste Box, place it in a convenient location, and start collecting used eyewear and related items. Once full, the box is sealed and shipped back to TerraCycle using the included prepaid shipping label. Once received, the collected materials are recycled into pellets that can be used to make new products—keeping eyewear waste out of landfills and incinerators.

To get started with SpecCycle, visit https://shop.terracycle.com/en-US/pages/speccycle. To learn more about how TerraCycle partners with businesses and communities to recycle hard-to-recycle waste, visit www.terracycle.com.

About TerraCycle:

TerraCycle is an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, creating and operating first-of-their-kind platforms in recycling, recycled materials, and reuse. Across 21 countries, TerraCycle is on a mission to eliminate the idea of waste and develop practical solutions for today’s complex waste challenges. The company engages an expansive multi-stakeholder community, from Fortune 500 companies to schools and households, across a wide range of accessible programs and has raised millions for schools and nonprofits since its founding more than 20 years ago. To learn more about TerraCycle and join them on their journey to move the world from a linear economy to a circular one, please visit terracycle.com.