As the highly anticipated eclipse approaches, Chautauqua County has revealed that the eclipse glasses being distributed to the public were manufactured in China. The county announced that the glasses were procured from Shenzhen POCE Technology Co. LTD. at a cost of $50,000. The announcement was made in response to concerns about the safety and certification of the glasses.
The county emphasized that the glasses underwent rigorous safety measures and were obtained through a comprehensive public procurement process from Fyre Marketing LLC in Florida. The product description on the invoice confirmed that the glasses are made from Paper Board with shade 14 safe solar lenses designed specifically for eclipse viewing. Additionally, they are CE certified and ISO compliant, meeting the international safety standard ISO #12312-2. The manufacturing safety information is printed on each product, providing additional assurance of their safety for eclipse viewing.
While the manufacturer and Fyre Marketing are not listed on the American Astronomical Society’s page of suppliers of safe viewers and filters, the society clarified that the absence of a vendor on the list does not necessarily indicate that their products are unsafe. It was noted that the society ceased adding vendors to the list as of February 8th, emphasizing that reputable companies should have established themselves well before the previous October’s annular solar eclipse across the Americas.
Notable companies listed on the society’s web page as suppliers of safe viewers and filters include American Paper Optics, Flip’n Shades, Halo Eclipse Spectacles, Celestial Optical, Grafix Plastics, DayStar Filters, American PaperWear, Seymour Solar, Rainbow Symphony, and Thousand Oaks Optical.
The county also urged the public to utilize the glasses responsibly and provided a link for more information on eclipse safety. With the eclipse drawing near, it is essential for individuals to be well-informed about the safety and reliability of the glasses they will be using to witness this spectacular celestial event.
