Introduction
You own an expired head shield and want to change it due to the inconvenience, lack of security, and out of fashion. However, some old helmets can not be exchanged or sold because their safety won’t be guaranteed. Hence, you may wonder what to do with old motorcycle helmets?
This article will offer you some blow-by-blow methods to dispose of your expired head protector in useful, eco-friendly, and correct ways. Noticeably, you can apply an appropriate strategy depending on the condition of your motorbike helmet.
In general, you will have more creative alternatives to use and decorate your head protector if it is in good condition. Join us Motorcycle Click to see some popular ways to dispose of your old shield.
Donate Your Helmet To Fire Or Police Departments
One of the perfect methods to dispose of your used motorcycle helmets is to donate them to emergency services, including police or fire agencies nearby you. You may ask what to do with old motorcycle helmets if they accept your donation.
Generally, they won’t apply your helmets for personal purposes; rather, firefighters use them in training sessions, getting involved in urgent cases when wearing a head shield. Your used helmets will be an ideal weapon for these staff to master the strategy of rescuing patients and protect themselves with a helmet at once.
All you need to do is to guarantee the chin strap is still connected to the helmet. You can patch a small test to check the durability of your head shields before donating. You can also apply in different ways and the test only takes a few minutes.
To do this going-over, you may want to throw it from a high surface. You also want to check the interior parts of the protective gear carefully.
Another important aspect is to ensure the cleanliness of your head protector. You may want to make your old motorcycle helmets clean before donating to emergency services, which shows kindness and respect. This great gesture will open more options to give away your used items.
Donate It To School
Motorcycle helmets can be an effective tool to improve the imaginations of students at school. It is perfect to donate your old head shield to any friends or relatives who are teachers and live near primary or high schools. Several teachers will have different uses for children during their playtime.
Specifically, students can imagine that they are space explorers, race car drivers, soldiers, or policemen. You can also assist these kids in decorating their events, such as Halloween, Christmas, or Easter with numerous creative ideas. Many teachers will appreciate a gift like this.
On the other hand, they can also introduce their lessons more easily and help children to practice wearing head shields properly. They can approach new methods to teach effectively for individuals who are visual or kinesthetic learners.
Some teachers will use your used head protectors to analyze the inside structure when students want a lifelike experience. Others can instruct the road traffic law with ease to remind them to wear their head shield while in traffic.
It pays to completely clean your old motorcycle helmets for hygiene reasons. Professors that are familiar with you can expect a higher sanitation level, leading to many alternatives to donating more used head shields later.
Another great support is to remove all jagged edges on the top of your aged helmets to protect the safety of children and teachers. If you are not sure of your item’s durability, then you can test the sturdy construction. There are a few hints to check easily before donating it to school.
You may use different strategies such as taking a sledgehammer to it, applying belt sanders, and even running over it with your motorcycle or car. These ways will be a genuine and effective illustration of how your old head shield will respond if some children throw it away or play it harshly.
Donate To Medical Emergency Services
Another ideal way to get rid of your old motorcycle helmets is to search for a popular medical emergency services agency. It is advisable to find the services that are engaged in applying complete head shields for coaching.
They don’t use your helmet donations to safeguard their heads; instead, they will use them to train first responders how to securely expel a head protector from patients in a traffic crash or any accident.
In general, an old motorcycle product is an excellent utilization since the most common case these personnel have to deal with is accidents of motorcyclists. They always wear a full-face helmet, making it more demanding to remove without worsening their injuries.
Moreover, taking off a helmet from the victim who may have neck, back, shoulder, or head damage will be more challenging than a normal patient. Their helmets are also weighty and cumbersome, so some responders will find it hard to remove them safely.
Therefore, emergency staff dealing with an accident have to master the ways to expel head shields without creating more harm to patients. Your old products will assist them in practicing these essential skills before putting them into practice.
As a kindness, you may want to ensure that your old protective gear is clean. You can also put new cushioning inside to help emergency specialists feel more comfortable. Different individuals will wear it, so making it clean before donating is a decent sign.
This way will help motorcyclists realize that their head shields can play a small role in training emergency responders to practice how to save other motorcyclists that need their rescue.
Nevertheless, there can be more helmets accessible than they require, and in case you can not discover an agency in need, you can choose a few other choices.
The most popular alternative is to cut the chin strap off totally to head off someone from angling it out of the junk and trying to apply it. Old head shields may cause high risks for frequent use because the polycarbonate and fiberglass that shape the helmet shell will break down gradually.
This harm happens due to external heat including sun or UV radiation, which makes the liner start to lose its adroitness and shape because of being constricted around your head.
Recycle It
If you don’t have the heart to throw out your old motorcycle defensive caps, one alternative can be recycling them. Firstly, check the plastic shell you are cleared out with to examine if there is any plastic recycling image.
Next, if the sign has a number or symbol inside it, you can begin to contact your nearby recycling department and ask if they confirm that plastic is for recycling.
Many products possess a plastic shell, nylon, a plastic buckle, EPS foam liner, or polyethylene straps. Several regional recycling procedures do not desire mixed materials.
Therefore, your excellent solution can be to take your expired head protector separated, set the plastic shell in the plastic reusing. Then, you can dissolve the EPS foam for usages like pressing fabric and a soil amendment. Finally, set up the buckle and the strap within your local trash.
In addition, it is advisable to research for types of plastic that can be reused, helping you to save money and time when contacting the center. Many shells are made of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE), which is the same material utilized for bottled water.
Those components are recyclable, yet others such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or Polystyrene (PS) can not be. High-end products are usually made from polycarbonate, which you can not recycle with ease. Hence, always check with the local manufacturer to examine your helmet’s material.
If your old head shield possesses an ABS hardshell or fiberglass, you also have to dissolve it because manufacturers won’t recycle it.
If you are not sure about the name of the plastic of your item, here are some common codes to identify its kind and recyclability.
Code | Abbreviation | Name | Recyclability | Examples |
1 | PETE or PET | Polyethylene Terephthalate | Easy | soft drink bottles, cooking oil, mineral water |
2 | HDPE or PEHD | High-Density Polyethylene | Easy | shampoo bottles, cleaning agents, grocery bags, milk containers, washing and shower soaps |
3 | PVC | Polyvinyl Chloride | Difficult | plumbing pipes, trays for candies or fruits, food foils to wrap the foodstuffs |
4 | LDPE | Low-density Polyethylene | Medium | shopping bags, squeezable bottles, shrink wraps, chopping boards |
5 | PP | Polypropylene | Easy | luggage, toys, furniture, auto parts, bumpers, external borderline of the cars, and flower pots |
6 | PS | Polystyrene | Difficult | refrigerator trays, packing peanuts, cosmetic plastic bags, vending cups, EPS helmet lining, and costume jewelry |
7 | O or OTHER | All other plastics | Difficult | polycarbonate, polylactic fibers, headlight shields, fiberglass, nylon, acrylic, and helmet visors |
Upcycle As Decorations
There are numerous ways to decorate your expired head shields to become a masterpiece. Let’s check out some popular and interesting ideas to start your collection easier.
Helmet Planters
One of the environmentally friendly ways is to decorate your defensive head caps in your garden. If you are a gardening enthusiast, you can change your used items to a helmet planter or flower pot to glorify your small yard. This way is exceptionally easy and quick to revive your house.
You can take off the EPS foam, cut it into pieces, and apply it in the potting combination for air circulation or ventilation in your clay soils.
Internal And External Lamps
If you are wondering what to do with old motorcycle helmets, then this method is your great response. You may want to purchase a lamp kit to make your used product become a fabulous desk lamp and external lantern.
It is very simple and only needs to drill a hole through your head shield itself. Then, buy top-quality LED lights and stick them into your masterwork.
Hanging Baskets
It is an excellent choice to apply either hanging baskets or wall-mounted ones for your plants. You will find many images of all kinds of expired head shields being designed for hanging pails on different websites. You can accomplish this beautiful sketch without much effort.
Only replace the inside cushioning with a potting mix. You can expel your helmet straps or not, then add several wires or chains to hang your collection of helmets on the balcony. You can also stick something on the bottom, including a shelled nut butter bottle cover, to withhold your item from rolling.
Many modern motorbike head shields possess air vents. This kind of item is exceptionally fit for orchids when you are an orchid addict. Only shrug off the inside padding; next, line the interior of the product with coconut cocoon fiber. Adjoin your orchid spikes and make them damp.
Target Practice
Besides, if you are a gunner or a shooter, it is a great option to decorate your expired protective gear to apply as a targeted workout. Paint the bullseye on the back of it and set it in a fixed and firm place to practice your sport.
Nesting Case
If you possess an aviary, your collapsed head shield will be an effective nesting box. Noticeably, it is the quickest way to handle your old items because the birds can’t be crabby if your product is not gorgeous.
Birds will accept your protective caps as long as they can feel that it assures their chicks. Moreover, make sure to arrange this shelter in a smart way to help them get in and out with ease.
Helmet Letterbox
You may have noticed some commercially accessible football helmet mailboxes; hence, there is a remarkable choice to turn your old product into a lovely mailbox.
Besides, this mailbox won’t require too complicated tasks because you can decorate and paint it with different colors you prefer. A head shield equipped with a brim or a rubber trim will be better to keep your mail safe from external damage, including rain or storms.
Make sure you break off any edgy straps by applying a sharp match of scissors before planning new decorations to avoid extreme injury.
Snack Container
You can create your expired helmet shell into a vessel, which brings a lot of application to the food world, such as a food container, a peanut, or a popcorn bowl. Clean your old items carefully to ensure the safety and hygiene of your foods.
Bird Or Squirrel Feeders
If your big garden is a shelter for numerous types of birds and squirrels, then your half-shell head shields will be their ideal home. Hang them on the trees to attract these birds coming to pick up seeds. And it’s time to enjoy their singing.
Garage Display
You may desire to make your garage more lively and amazing, then paint your overthrown head shield and hang them in a cool and creative arrangement. It is tactical to check the sturdy construction of your used products to guarantee safety if you hang them on the wall.
The Gas Masks
Due to some unintentional accidents, it pays to prepare a gas mask with your old protective caps. Firstly, fix any edges that can hurt your body and then make your item strong and smooth. Stick the gas mask to it with adhesive glues.
Finally, wear your masterwork after finishing to check your fitness level. We recommend applying it as soon as possible to get familiar with comfortable wearing when you confront a toxic environment.
Painted Motorcycle Helmet Collections
You will have an incredible collection of your old helmets when you start to paint them with different colors to decorate them in numerous places in your house.
Nevertheless, make sure you completely clean your headgear previously to get rid of dead bugs or any dirt. Then, cut out any air articulations before sprinkling to prevent them from clogging or creating some ventilation problems.
Next, you can cover up the rubber trim and the visor around the base of your helmet. This way will protect them from external damage, such as the sun or rain if you want to use them outside. In addition, it is vital to expel anything that is separable from the interior of your used helmets.
Make sure any extra stickers are secured up, which demonstrates the legitimacy of your helmets if you want to use your painted products on the street.
Noticeably, it is advisable to wear latex gloves to avoid the sweat or oil from your fingers engraving onto your head protector. Many people prefer to use water-based paints because they can help their items possess long-lasting colors.
Several sources can propose using sandpaper to clear out the layer of polish from the top of the product. Nevertheless, this way can cause implicit damage to your used helmets in the long run.
Hence, if you want to ward off doing this method, always contact the manufacturers and tell them the type of your headgear before using any paints to retain the durability and function of your items. If your used item is a plain stain, then you may just paint the color to the top.
Remarkable Dress Box
If you have kids and you know some local theatre companies, then you can dress up with your expired head shield in your kid’s masquerade show.
Make your product become a part of your outfit and jazz it up with some favorite logos, such as flowers, animals, or famous characteristics in different cartoons.
It will bring more joy when you guarantee the safety of your children. To do this, you have to cut out the chinstrap to ensure that it can not be casually worn on the street like an appropriate piece of protective gear.
Check With Local Recycling Center
Another effective strategy to get rid of your old motorcycle protective caps is to give them to regional recycling factories. You can contact them to check if they agree to damaged helmets for recycling. Don’t be astounded if the response is no.
Because of the distinct materials and chemicals applied in manufacturing secure and strong helmets, some recycling companies are not prepared to process them. If they accept, then you can drag out the cushioning and foam before you drop them off.
We suggest finding any symbols on your head shield to check the recyclability before sending it to the recycling center. If you are not sure about the meaning of the number of plastic, don’t hesitate to search for information or ask the company to understand clearly and apply your helmet in proper ways.
Dispose In Regular Trash
It is the last resort to get rid of your expired motorbike helmets. In general, this way is not satisfactory, yet if you don’t have any other choices, you can remove the protective caps in your frequent trash.
Always make sure that you can bag your garbage appropriately to protect the safety of the cleaning staff. Here are some practical steps to cover the rubbish adequately. You also can follow local instructions if they have a specific rule.
First of all, it is important to cut out the chin strap, or you may also want to chop it in half with an ax, a saw, or a sledgehammer.
However, we recommend you practice this action slowly and carefully because breaking an old helmet is often challenging and dangerous. Its function is to resist severe impacts at interstate speeds.
Conclusion
After checking out this detailed information, we hope that you won’t wonder what to do with old motorcycle helmets anymore. Go and determine for yourself and apply the greatest use of your expired motorcycle helmet.
In general, you can create a new masterpiece by decorating or painting your motorcycle head shield. You also want to recycle it with proper programs. Moreover, donating to emergency services or local schools is an ideal idea if you have many old head protectors.
However, the substitution of your old motorcycle helmet is emphatically supported for your security. Therefore, it pays to avoid utilizing any helmets beyond the 4 years time limit. Even worse, you have to change your expired headgear after nearly 3 years if it has an extreme crash or internal damage.