[en] The decay of color centers in alkali borate glasses exposed to polarized optical radiation is studied. Optical irradiation of γ-colored glasses is shown to destruct all types of color centers investigated. The mechanism of decay is defined by the type of color centers excited by a given type of radiation. Decay may be due either to photoionization of electron-type centers and subsequent recombination of the released electrons with hole-type centers or to delocalization of holes from hole-type centers and their subsequent recombination with electrons from electron-type centers