DO you have a drawer cluttered with old prescription spectacles you no longer wear? A stash of empty contact lens blister packs covering dust? If so, you might be one of four in five (78 per cent) Aussies who are unknowingly hoarding glasses, or ‘gloarding’.
Specsavers is shining a light on this widespread phenomenon, sharing new research that shows Australians are collectively gloarding an astonishing 32.3M pairs of old prescription glasses, and 6.8M empty contact lens blister packs at home. When laid end to end, this volume would stretch from Perth to Brisbane, posing a significant environmental challenge.
To combat this growing optical waste, Specsavers has partnered with Opticycle to introduce a pioneering, end-to-end recycling solution, helping Aussies declutter their homes while protecting the planet and diverting hard-to-recycle waste from landfill.
Specsavers has partnered with professional organiser, Kristina Duke of Decluttering Diva, explained the often-overlooked benefits of letting go of these unsused items.
“Physical clutter isn’t just a nuisance, it significantly contributes to our mental loads, creating subconscious stress and distraction,” Kristina said.
“Many of us hold onto old glasses, often as a ‘back up pair’ or simply because we don’t know what to do with them. This ‘gloarding’ behaviour can weigh us down. Specsavers’ new recycling program provides the perfect opportunity for a home reset, allowing you to declutter your space and mind, knowing your old clutter is being responsibly transformed into new resources.”
After an extensive period of research, development and a trial period, the program rolled out to all Specsavers stores this year and since April, 29.7 tonnes of optical waste have been recycled.
Locals can donate their old glasses and contact lens blister packs at Shepparton Specsavers stores located on Maude Street and at the Shepparton Marketplace.
