Islanders encouraged to donate their old specs for charity

03 August 2006

People in Jersey are being asked to donate their old glasses to charity instead of throwing them out. More than 200 million people in developing countries rely on second hand glasses. Many opticians in the island are already collecting spectacles for developing countries but many people don’t know about the schemes.

To help raise awareness, the Transport and Technical Services Department (TTS) has given opticians a large sticker to publicise their participation, which can be displayed in stores.

John Rive, Recycling Officer for TTS says “Many people buy new glasses and either throw their old ones away or put them in a drawer and forget about them. By donating them to a recycling scheme, you could not only be making a difference to someone’s quality of life but you’re also stopping a valuable resource from entering the waste stream.”

The TTS initiative has been welcomed by Anne Chambers from the Friends of Wanangwi. She says “Recycled spectacles give the gift of sight to many people in developing countries who could never afford the luxury of going to an optician.”

Local charities collecting spectacles are Mustard Seed, The Wanangwi School and Orphanage Trust Fund (WASOT) and The Lions Club.

More information about spectacle recycling can be found at www.gov.je/recycling