If you have an old bike helmet and hate water, or want to do your best for the environment, you may wonder if there is a good way to get rid of it…
Can bike helmets be donated?
Yes! Provided that you’ve taken good care of it, helmets may indeed be donated and someone will make good use of them. Donated helmets are often repurposed for such uses as theatre props, emergency services training, or simply used for their original purpose as bike helmets.
It all depends on where you donate it, but as long as the helmet is in good to excellent condition, then the organization you choose will certainly take it and put it to good use.
What do you do with an old helmet?
You have lots of choices when it comes to discarding an old helmet. For instance, you could simply recycle it if you like, although donating it to a school is another option.
You can also give the helmet to emergency services, who will utilize it in training scenarios, and there are even specific organizations that collect bike helmets to recondition them and use the for their original purpose.
If you have a friend who likes to bike but doesn’t have a helmet, your old one also makes a thoughtful gift, as long as you’ve taken care to keep it pristine.
When should you discard a helmet?
With helmets, a good general rule is to replace them every 3 to 5 years. This is because a helmet may become damaged over, without that damage is readily visible. For instance, with crashes or impacts from simply dropping the helmet, the plastic will usually spring back into place as if nothing happened.
The helmet will look safe, but what you can’t see is the impact foam that’s inside it. Over years, multiple impacts may compress that foam, but what if you haven’t had any crashes?
Well, in that case, you need to consider storage and environmental impacts. For instance, if you throw your helmet into the car, it is going to receive intense bursts of heat. A parked car in the summer sun can heat up to as much as 138 degrees inside, even in the shade!
When the helmet cools down a bit, the expansion and contraction impact the materials, weakening them until eventually you can’t be guaranteed the same amount of protection, even though you’ve never crashed with that helmet on. As such, unless the manufacturer recommends otherwise, you should replace the helmet every 3 to 5 years.
What do you do with old bike helmets in Australia?
If you will not be donating it to a local organization, but instead prefer to recycle it, then you’ll need a strategy to ensure that the components of the helmet end up where they need to properly go. This will require disassembling the helmet, so that the shell may go into plastic recycling.
The foam inside should be broken up, so that it may become landfill material or even be repurposed for packing material. The buckle and strap for the helmet are the easiest bits, as they may simply be thrown in your trash and taken out with the standard refuse.
What do you do with old crash helmets in the UK?
Your best bet will be disassembling the helmet, so that you may place the plastic shell in plastic recycling, while you may shred the foam and save it for later packing use should you need to ship or move an item.
The buckle and the strap may be discarded in your regular bin unless you wish to repurpose them for your designs.
Do charity shops accept bike helmets?
No, charity shops usually will not accept safety equipment that is already used. Unfortunately, it is very time-consuming to determine if the gear is still up to proper standards for ensuring safety, so charity shops will rarely accept it.
You may check for other organizations, however, such as emergency services and schools, where helmets are often accepted if they are in good condition and repurposed for other functions.
Do riding helmets expire?
While they may last a long time, riding helmets do come with an expiration date that your manufacturer will provide. This is an estimated time that the materials will be considered to no longer be at their best in terms of safety, and while the helmet might technically still be safe, it’s a good idea to replace it.
Temperature variances from storing the helmet in your car or the sun, plus the occasional drops over the years and crashes may affect the impact foam inside and even reduce the integrity of the plastic shell – all while seemingly looking fine.
As such, it’s best to note and follow your manufacturer’s expiration date – after all, it’s your safety, and that’s an area where it’s not a good idea to pinch pennies!
How long does a cycling helmet last?
Most cycling helmets are designed to last through 3-5 years of regular use. You’ll need to check your manufacturer’s information, however, as some higher-end helmets have an appreciably longer lifespan, up to as much as 10 years.
If you haven’t bought a helmet yet, then you can look for these and it’s generally a great deal. You’ll pay a little more, but you’ll get a better-quality helmet that you won’t need to replace anytime soon!
Does dropping a bicycle helmet ruin it?
Typically, no, as helmets are designed to take and absorb a certain amount of impact over time. That said, the impact foam inside may eventually become compacted over time, so there is some wear and tear – it’s just going to be gradual.
When you see an expiration date from the manufacturer, this is generally what is being expressed, that over time the foam will eventually not absorb as much force and after the 3-5 years the manufacturer recommends, it will be time for a replacement.
How often should you replace a cycling helmet?
It depends on the helmet. Most helmets are going to be rated for a 3 – 5 year period of use, although certain exceptions will have an expiration of as much as 10 years. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s recommendations so that you may find these models.
While they cost a little more, they are of better quality and that’s always the best way to go where your safety is concerned.