How can I reuse or recycle 3D glasses?

The Guardian’s Leo Hickman wrote an article yesterday about 3D glasses – how the current trend for jumping-out-at-you big screen action is causing a lot of waste: even with reusing and reconditioning schemes in place, around 7million pairs will be recycled into “plastic pellets” this year – and that’s not including the ones people have taken home.

We’ve only seen a few things in 3D – at the IMAX in Bradford – and we’ve always left the glasses there afterwards. But if we had taken them home (and if there wasn’t anywhere obvious for recycling, that’s what we’d have done), how could we have reused them?

The ones we’ve worn have been stylistic wonders – quirky-shaped plastic frames, which look particularly great over my normal specs…

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11 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle 3D glasses?”


  1. Roger says:

    a Halloween buddy holly costume?

  2. Michelle says:

    They’re great for fun picture frames. Just use small simple pictures, cut to frame size, glue in and your done. Pets, flowers, faces…possibilities are endless.

  3. anna says:

    I took a few pictures with them on when playing with Photo Booth, and plan to use them as a part of halloween costume.

  4. Vicki says:

    I give them to kids. They LOVE playing with them.

  5. Alice says:

    I have a pair of glasses that saw Avatar eight times – a friend gave me them, she’d been given them by someone else, etc.

    The ones the cinemas gave out were wrapped in plastic so I figure we must have saved eight plastic wrappers even if they recycle the frames.

    Keeping them for Glastonbury Festival now ‘cos they’re bound to have some 3D stuff there this year.

  6. Henry says:

    These new trend of disposable 3D glasses is very bad for the environmment. If we want to see nature also outside the cinema we should start taking care of it.

  7. Unfortunately they are unlikely to work with home 3D TV systems when they catch on as these systems tend to use a system that requires alternate shuttering glasses rather than the cheaper polarised solution. The most efficient reuse solution is to take them to the cinema with you next time you go (or use them at the pub for 3D football as this system is compatible).

  8. Zak P says:

    I bought some red 3d glasses from ilovevista.com. Awesome!!

  9. Lukasz says:

    Producent recomends to address managment of the cinema if they do not offer recycling facilities. You can post them to:

    RealD
    100 North Crescent Dr., Suite 120
    Beverly Hills, CA 90210

    everything is better then having them in landfill for millions of years to come.

  10. justn1185 says:

    I’ve taken all mine home. The frames were free so I figured I could do something with it. And I’ve found a few fun projects. Look up some sources for diffraction paper and make cheap rainbow glasses. I’ve also found some stock paper that does different effects. These “special” glasses can cost up to $20 a pair! Not bad for a fun project.

  11. Frank Smith says:

    I’ve given them to my local school for a production of Back to the 80’s where the lads wanted to look cool



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