AUSTRALIA’S HIDDEN HOARD:

OVER 30 MILLION PAIRS OF OLD GLASSES CLOGGING UP HOMES, AS SPECSAVERS LAUNCH NATIONWIDE RECYCLING SOLUTION

Do you have a drawer cluttered with old prescription spectacles you no longer wear? A stash of empty contact lens blister packs gathering dust? If so, you might be one of four in five (78%) Aussies who are unknowingly ‘gloarding’*.

This National Recycling Week, Specsavers is shining a light on this widespread phenomenon, revealing new research that shows Australians are collectively ‘gloarding’ with an astonishing 32.3 million pairs of old prescription glasses** and 6.8 million empty contact lens blister packs currently stored in Aussie homes. When laid end to end, this staggering 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 across Australia. This initiative offers a dual benefit: helping Aussies declutter their homes and protecting the planet by diverting hard-to-recycle optical waste from landfill.

How to kick the Gloarding habit

To shed light on this widespread habit, Specsavers has teamed up with professional organiser, Kristina Duke of Decluttering Diva. Kristina explains the often-overlooked benefits of letting go of these unused items. “Physical clutter isn’t just a visual nuisance; it significantly contributes to our mental load, creating subconscious stress and distraction,” says Kristina Duke.

“Many of us hold onto old glasses – often as a ‘backup 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 a 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.”

Nearly half of Australians (46%) say they were unaware that old glasses can be recycled, alongside the six in ten Australians (61%) who are unaware that empty contact-lens blister packs can be recycled.

Cathy Rennie Matos, Specsavers ANZ Head of Sustainability “This initiative is a cornerstone of Specsavers’ broader commitment to positive social and environmental impact. By making it easy to recycle old eyewear, we’re helping people declutter their homes while protecting our planet. It’s a win-win for the environment and for personal peace of mind.”

Media Release All Images

About the Specsavers x Opticycle scheme

The Specsavers recycling program, powered by Opticycle, specifically targets traditionally hard-to-recycle items, including old prescription glasses, sunglasses, contact lens blister packs, and even manufacturing waste (swarf). Opticycle ensures that the collected optical waste is processed locally within Australia, providing full traceability and transparency on its journey to be repurposed into new materials.

After an extensive period of research, development and trial period, the program was rolled out to all stores in April this year and has since recycled 29.7 tonnes of optical waste.

If you’re a ‘gloarder’, Specsavers invites consumers across Australia to bring their old glasses and contact lens blister packs to any Specsavers store for recycling. It’s a simple step that can significantly reduce optical waste and contribute to a more sustainable future.

This study was conducted online between 20th – 22nd October 2025. The sample is comprised of a nationally representative sample of 1015 Australians aged 18 years and older. Following the completion of interviewing, the data was weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest ABS population estimates. Significant differences have been reported at the 95% confidence interval. This study has been carried out in accordance with the ISO 20252:2019 standards, to which YouGov is accredited.

* Adults aged 18 or above currently have at least one ‘old’ pair of prescription glasses, reading glasses, sunglasses, or empty contact-lens blister packs, even if they no longer use them regularly

** Adults aged 18 or above who wear prescription glasses who report having at least one pair of old glasses (including prescription ones) in their homes.

*** When laid end-to-end, 32.3 million pairs of old eyeglasses (average pair of eyeglasses, when laid flat is about 15 cm (0.15 meters) and 6.8 million empty contact lens blister packs (approximentaly0.04 meters per pack) would stretch for an estimated 5,117 kilometers. The distance from Perth to Brisbane equates to approximately 4,350 km.

About Specsavers: Specsavers are locally run businesses that have been delivering accessible, affordable, and high-quality eye care and eyewear for almost 17 years in ANZ. With over 450 stores across Australia and New Zealand, Specsavers is committed to making a positive impact on the communities it serves

About Opticycle: Opticycle is an Australian-owned and operated recycling company dedicated to providing innovative and sustainable solutions for hard-to-recycle materials. Through advanced processing techniques, Opticycle transforms waste into new resources, supporting a circular economy and local manufacturing.

For more information about Specsavers, please visit https://www.specsavers.com.au/

DOWNLOADS

Media Release

All Images

MEDIA CONTACTS

Agency:

Emily Fookes
Emily.Fookes@ogilvy.com
0438 854 883

Specsavers:

Imogen Blaskett
Imogen.Lawson@specsavers.com

QUICK LINKS

Media Release