Here's what Montrealers can do with eclipse glasses

With millions of pairs of eclipse glasses now in people's homes, the question remains: What do we do with them now?

Before you throw them in the trash, it's worth noting that there will be a partial eclipse in less than a year.

“We encourage everyone to keep their glasses on,” said Montreal Planetarium spokeswoman Anne Burgoyne. “They can be used to monitor the sun and future solar eclipses, such as the partial eclipse on March 29, 2025.”

According to Dan Riskin, CTV News' science and technology expert, the glasses can track the sun on any bright day.

“The sun is … something we never look at because it hurts,” he said. “They're good for eclipses, but there are still benefits to these glasses.”

Those who don't want to take their glasses can also turn them in to the Planetarium, a collection point for Astronomers Without Borders' glasses recycling program.

Another relatively close-up point is the fire service office of the city of Cornwall, Ontario.

The US-based program has been sending solar eclipse glasses since 2008 and has “helped bring glasses to people who don't have a safe way to view the eclipse directly,” according to the organization's website.

The glasses taken to the Planetarium in Montreal will be inspected and distributed free of charge by Astronomers Without Borders.

“In this way, the glasses are reused for educational and humanitarian purposes, while also having a positive impact on the environment,” Burgoyne said.

Astronomers Without Borders only carries glasses from American Paper Optics and Rainbow Symphony because they are the only manufacturers that make glasses durable enough to last the program for years, the Planetarium said.

Spectacles can be mailed or delivered in person to the Planetarium.

According to NASA, the next total solar eclipse will be on August 12, 2026 and will be over Greenland, Iceland and northern Russia, in addition to a small part of Portugal and Spain.