Many scrambled to get hold of special solar eclipse glasses to protect their eyes
Millions of us were treated to a stunning spectacle on Wednesday during mainland Europe's first total solar eclipse for more than 25 years.
And for some in the UK, it was a race against time to find a pair of eye-protecting eclipse glasses as shortages grew.
If you did manage to grab some, you might be asking – what do I do with them now?
"Eclipse glasses are a great example of our single-use culture," says Dr Renee Tonkin, the founder of Science Owl, an environmental education organisation focused on waste.
"Particularly because they're difficult to recycle due to their mixed materials."
According to Recycle Now, which advises on appropriate places to recycle items, the glasses are not wholly recyclable in your household waste.
It says you can recycle the cardboard frames so long as you separate them from the lenses, which are harder to recycle.
So here are three things you can do with those retina-saving spectacles.
Eclipse warning: The key signs you may have damaged your eyes
Millions watch 'surreal' solar eclipse in UK and Europe
In 2027, parts of the world will be treated to a total solar eclipse – described by some as the "eclipse of the century" because of how long it will be visible for.
A total solar eclipse means the Moon's disk will completely cover the Sun – and it is expected to last for six minutes and 23 seconds, the longest on land since 1991.
We won't see a longer solar eclipse from land until 2114.
So, you might consider keeping your eclipse glasses to protect your eyes if you're planning a trip to watch next year's spectacle.
