What should I do with my solar eclipse glasses? What to know about recycling, donating

The 2024 total solar eclipse has come and gone and now millions of Americans are facing the same question: What should I do with my solar eclipse glasses?

You could save your glasses for the next total solar eclipse, but that won't be viewable in the contiguous United States for another 20 years and, even then, you may not be in its path.

The American Astronomical Society says modern eclipse glasses do not expire. The organization says they will last until 2044 as long as they are compliant with the ISO 12312-2 certification, have no punctures, scratches or tears, and the filters and lenses remain attached to the frames.

"Older eclipse glasses used materials that degraded over time, so they were often printed with a 3-year expiration period. That is no longer true," the AAS says on its website.

Next total solar eclipse:When is the next total solar eclipse in the US after 2024 and what is its path?

You can donate your eclipse glasses too

If you don't wish to hold on to your eclipse glasses for 20 years, you also have the option to donate them.

Astronomers Without Borders is running its second nationwide eclipse glasses recycling drive and already has over 300 businesses, schools, museums, city governments, community organizations and local libraries collecting and shipping millions of glasses to be repurposed for use by underserved communities around the world in future solar eclipses.

AWB launched its first run of the program after the last solar eclipse in 2017, when volunteer centers across the country collected more than half a million glasses that were distributed to Africa, Asia, and South America for reuse.

You can also donate to Eclipse Glasses USA, which is an AAS-approved supplier that collects donations of used, undamaged eclipse glasses. These glasses are inspected for safety and shipped to countries with upcoming eclipse events so school-aged children with limited resources can safely experience a solar eclipse, according to the AAO.

If you choose not to donate your eclipse glasses, you can also remove the lenses and recycle the cardboard.

When is the next total solar eclipse visible from the US?

According to NASA, after Monday's total solar eclipse, the next one viewable from the contiguous U.S. will be on Aug. 23, 2044, though only three states are in the path of totality (Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota).

2044 total solar eclipse path of totality

Unfortunately, the 2044 total solar eclipse won't have the broad reach across the U.S. as the 2024 eclipse.

The path of totality during the 2044 eclipse will only touch three states, according to the Planetary Society, a nonprofit involved in research, public outreach, and political space advocacy. The eclipse will begin in Greenland, sweep through Canada and end around sunset in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

2045 solar eclipse

While the 2044 total eclipse will only touch three states, a 2045 eclipse will have a more robust path across the U.S.

Expected to occur on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2045, this solar eclipse will trace a path of totality over California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

A partial solar eclipse will also be viewable in 35 other states, according to National Eclipse.com.

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge & Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].