Sports & Recreation recycling
How to Recycle Sports Helmets & Protective Gear
Bicycle, skate, football, hockey, and other athletic helmets plus padding. Safety liability blocks most reuse; consumer recycling programs are essentially nonexistent.
Special handlingExpired or crashed helmets have no safe resale value for protection useUpdated Jul 2026
Quick answer
Do not donate crash-damaged or old helmets for someone else to wear. Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute reports no known US bicycle-helmet recycling programs. Trash expired or impacted helmets, or carefully separate plastics only if a local program accepts them. Team reconditioning is for organized programs, not garage donations.
- Recyclable
- Not curbside
- Typical value
- Expired or crashed helmets have no safe resale value for protection use
- Donate / take-back
- Available
How to Prepare
- 1Check manufacturing date and any impact history
- 2