How are 3-D glasses recycled?
July 23rd, 2009
Recycling 3-D movie glasses may not be the most profound of environmental issues — certainly not as pressing as global warming or fish disappearing from our oceans — but I was very pleased to see this recycling bin at my local movie theater the other day.
It means that attitudes are really changing; people (and companies) are starting to think about the environmental repercussions of their everyday actions, no matter how small or inconsequential they seem. And you know what? With 3-D films like Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs already grossing over $580 million worldwide, it’s not a trivial issue; that’s a heck of a lot of plastic glasses that would otherwise have made their way to the landfill.
But how, specifically, are the glasses recycled? A spokesperson for RealD, the company that makes the 3-D glasses, informed me that every pair dropped in the recycling bin is sanitized and then reused, while those glasses that are broken or no longer functional are melted down to be recycled into other plastic products. Recycling bins are also provided to every theater worldwide using the glasses.
Now if only they could do something about those popcorn tubs…
–Jennifer Grayson
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February 15th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
There is much more to the story of reusable glasses in the 3D world, but here is an overview. There are other systems besides RealD, such as the Dolby system which uses a specially treated and very comfortable spherical instead of flat lens, and can be washed for several hundred re-uses.
The less expensive glasses like the RealD were originally made for single use, but it has been found that they can be re-used several, perhaps 10 times.
Like those popcorn tubs, things are evolving. With more 3D movies coming out every year, you are correct in spotting this as a real issue. And, just as a by the way, the bulky look of the glasses is done on purpose to block stray light from entering and spoiling the 3D effect.
February 16th, 2010 at 8:57 am
Thanks for the additional info! And here’s a cool article from Slate that describes how the glasses are reused/recycled:
http://www.slate.com/id/2242548/
February 16th, 2010 at 9:55 am
That article touches on another issue; patrons with their own glasses.
The problem is that there are several technologies to implement 3D, involving differences at the projector, at the screen, and at the glasses. Each system is different enough that one pair of designer glasses will not work with other systems.
Perhaps if there is a cinema close by that you would always go to, this would pose no problem. But if there are several cinemas close by, and one uses RealD, another uses XpanD, one uses MasterImage, or Dolby, (plus IMAX 3D is in the mix) then there is a problem with the value proposition of paying for a set of glasses that will only work in one or two of the cinemas.
This doesn’t appear to be something that will sort out soon, with one or more companies dropping out or gaining ultimate dominance. So, education is important to combat the confusion. Unfortunately, this has evolved quickly and there is no one group who had an interest in explaining the issues.
Just a heads-up. Another evolving issue that digital cinema is tossing into its evolution is new products for the hearing and visual impaired patron…some that will even allow patrons to use their iPod Touch or iPhone, instead of relying upon the cinema to supply the equipment.