Where Do Old Bike Helmets Go? A Real U.S. Recycling Guide

Short answer: there's no national bike helmet recycling program in the U.S., and curbside bins won't take them whole. But you do have a few real options. Pick the one that fits.

Not sure if your helmet actually needs to go yet? Here's how long a bike helmet lasts and when to replace it.

Mail it to TerraCycle (easiest, paid)

TerraCycle's Sporting Goods Zero Waste Box accepts bike helmets along with other sports gear. You order a box, fill it, ship it back with a prepaid label. It costs money — splitting a box with a cycling club, bike shop, or a few neighbors brings the per-helmet cost down. If your helmet has a battery or any electronics, those have to come out first (see bottom of this page).

For most riders who just want it handled, this is the answer.

Disassemble and recycle the foam (free, takes time)

If you'd rather not pay, break the helmet down:

1. Cut the straps off and toss them.
2. Pop the buckle off. Trash.
3. Pry the plastic shell off the foam.
4. Take the EPS foam to a foam-specific drop-off. Search "EPS foam drop-off" plus your city — many cities have at least one. If your shell is marked PET (#1), it can usually go in curbside plastics; polycarbonate or ABS shells can't.

About 20–30 minutes per helmet, plus the trip.

Give it a second job

Before it goes in the bin, here's a thought: a retired helmet still has a hard shell, vent holes, and straps — which makes it surprisingly useful around a garage. Mounted upside-down on a pegboard, it's a decent catch for chain lube, tire levers, and a roll of bar tape. Drop a magnetic strip inside and it's a parts bowl for loose bolts and cleats when you're working on a bike. Honest caveat: only do this if you'll actually use it. A helmet "upcycled" onto a shelf to collect dust is just landfill on delay.

The trash, with a clear conscience

If neither of the above is realistic — no nearby foam recycler, no spare cash for a TerraCycle box — throw it away. The environmental footprint of one helmet every five years is small compared to the upside of cycling itself.

Before you toss it: destroy the foam liner (a few hammer blows is enough) so no one fishes it out and reuses it as protective gear. A retired helmet shouldn't end up on someone else's head.

What about Goodwill, curbside, fire departments?

Quick answers:

• Curbside recycling: No. Helmets are mixed materials and EPS foam contaminates the stream.
• Goodwill / Salvation Army: Most locations decline used helmets because they can't verify crash history. Call your local store before driving over, but plan for "no."
• Local fire / EMS: Some accept intact, never-crashed helmets as training aids. Call ahead.

If your helmet has a battery (smart helmets, e-bike helmets)

Don't put it in the trash with the battery still in it — lithium cells cause fires in waste streams.

If you ride a Lumos, this is straightforward. Our helmets are designed with user-replaceable batteries, so the battery comes out the same way you'd swap it during normal use — no tools, no disassembly, no risk. If you need a refresher on how to remove the battery for your specific model, see our Help Center.

Once the battery is out:

1. Drop the battery at a Call2Recycle location (free, thousands of sites at Lowe's, Home Depot, Best Buy, Staples). Find the closest one at call2recycle.org/locator.
2. The helmet body then goes through Options 1–4 above.

If you ride a smart helmet from a brand whose battery isn't user-replaceable, contact the manufacturer or your local household hazardous waste (HHW) program before attempting any disassembly. Don't cut wires or pry electronics out — punctured lithium cells can ignite.

If your helmet's done and you're shopping for the next one, take a look at the Lumos bike helmet range — we build helmets with integrated lights so drivers actually see you.

That's it. Pick an option, get it done, and ride safe.