Helmet disposal?

[mecse]

A couple of months ago I had a little fall while doing some technical drills in a local park. No biggie, but cracked my helmet and bought a new one. Fine.

I haven't thrown the old one away yet, though, and i'm wondering, is it recyclable? Do manufacturers have some kind of return thing? Or is it just better off in a landfill out of my sight?

It's a specialized, if it makes any difference.

[fil]

not sure about any recycling programs but if you end up throwing it out cut the straps

[regularguy412]

Years ago,, ( YEARS), Giro had a return program. If you crashed in a Giro and returned it with a description of the crash, they'd send you a new one. No idea if they still do that. But I got one replaced that way. Decided they were a great company to do that, so I've bought only one other brand one time (Specialized Piranha) since then. Giro all the others.

Mike in AR:beer:

[mecse]

not sure about any recycling programs but if you end up throwing it out cut the straps

? why do that?

[tumbler]

? why do that?

Wondering the same thing. Is it to prevent someone from pulling it out of the trash and sticking it on their head? If so, that seems like overkill.

[MarkJ]

Yes, cutting the straps is to prevent use by someone who is unaware of it being damaged. Depends on where you live, but some parts of the US have rampant dumpster diving. Even here in the tame parts I've known of at least one well paid engineers to feed his family out of the dumpster behind Target.

People do weird stuff. How anybody could care enough to want a free helmet but not want a safe helmet is beyond me, but seeing the tipped back helmets and the on-backward helmets leads me to realize that there are many people who think these things work by magic and unicorn farts.

As for me? I used a hatchet. Didn't take the front lawn too long to recover.

[steelbikerider]

My son and I took baseball to one helmet. It held up a lot longer than I thought. Another one ended up as a .22 target for us. Much fun and laughs both times.
P.S. - I did cut off the straps before the helmet abuse

[berserk87]

Yes, cutting the straps is to prevent use by someone who is unaware of it being damaged. Depends on where you live, but some parts of the US have rampant dumpster diving. Even here in the tame parts I've known of at least one well paid engineers to feed his family out of the dumpster behind Target.

People do weird stuff. How anybody could care enough to want a free helmet but not want a safe helmet is beyond me, but seeing the tipped back helmets and the on-backward helmets leads me to realize that there are many people who think these things work by magic and unicorn farts.

As for me? I used a hatchet. Didn't take the front lawn too long to recover.

My take is that if someone is pulling helmets out of a landfill to wear, then that is probably one of the less risky things that they do. Might be getting toothbrushes and underwear out of the dump too. Maybe an old, sucky helmet is better than no helmet at all? Who knows. Agreed that people do weird stuff.

The air freshener in my Bentley is "Unicorn Farts". It smells like clover and fairies.

[tumbler]

My take is that if someone is pulling helmets out of a landfill to wear, then that is probably one of the less risky things that they probably do. Might be getting toothbrushes and underwear out of the dump too. Maybe an old, sucky helmet is better than no helmet at all? Who knows. Agreed that people do weird stuff.


Yeah. I think if we were talking about toxic chemicals or firearms, I would agree that we have a responsibility to ensure that they are disposed of safely. I don't think a broken bike helmet thrown in the garbage poses a significant risk to anyone or should require additional steps other than recycling, if possible.

[Tony T]

Years ago,, ( YEARS), Giro had a return program. If you crashed in a Giro and returned it with a description of the crash, they'd send you a new one. No idea if they still do that.

They now give a 20% discount.
You need the serial # (that's on the paper sticker that's either removed by the user, or lost after a few rides — so record the s/n on a new Giro purchase)

[oldpotatoe]

A couple of months ago I had a little fall while doing some technical drills in a local park. No biggie, but cracked my helmet and bought a new one. Fine.

I haven't thrown the old one away yet, though, and i'm wondering, is it recyclable? Do manufacturers have some kind of return thing? Or is it just better off in a landfill out of my sight?

It's a specialized, if it makes any difference.

I just 'recycled' one..hammer to see how strong it really was..thence to the trash. On the driveway, not me head.

[soulspinner]

My take is that if someone is pulling helmets out of a landfill to wear, then that is probably one of the less risky things that they probably do. Might be getting toothbrushes and underwear out of the dump too. Maybe an old, sucky helmet is better than no helmet at all? Who knows. Agreed that people do weird stuff.

The air freshener in my Bentley is "Unicorn Farts". It smells like clover and fairies.

:)

[Dr Luxurious]

Originally Posted by regularguy412 View Post
Years ago,, ( YEARS), Giro had a return program. If you crashed in a Giro and returned it with a description of the crash, they'd send you a new one. No idea if they still do that.

That was me.
I worked at Giro many years ago and I was the guy who did the crash returns.
The "factory" way of decommissioning a helmet is to set them on the floor on their sides then stand on the inside of the shell with one foot and stomp with the other foot.

BTW... some helmets came back with dried blood & tufts of hair in them...

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/tmge/541cfa60-98cb-4cb3-9dfa-c6540d18406e_zps153cdb40.jpg

[regularguy412]

That was me.
I worked at Giro many years ago and I was the guy who did the crash returns.
The "factory" way of decommissioning a helmet is to set them on the floor on their sides then stand on the inside of the shell with one foot and stomp with the other foot.

BTW... some helmets came back with dried blood & tufts of hair in them...

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/tmge/541cfa60-98cb-4cb3-9dfa-c6540d18406e_zps153cdb40.jpg

Interesting that you used a likeness of the period-correct Giro ProLight -- complete with the lycra cover over the three vents. That's exactly the one I crashed in, and I still have the (mostly) unused replacement. No blood/hair in the one i sent, but it WAS in three pieces and only held together by the lycra and straps.

Mike in AR:beer:

[makoti]

That was me.
I worked at Giro many years ago...

Well, then thank you. Giro helmets are all I wear because they were on my head for both my bad crashes. They were toasted, I was not. I just don't mess with anything else. I'm sure there are lots of good brands, but I know what has saved me.

[nrs5000]

The air freshener in my Bentley is "Unicorn Farts". It smells like clover and fairies.

Are you saying that unicorns eat fairies?

[Saint Vitus]

I'm thinking a helmet is not recyclable due to the construction (the outer shell complicates the process I think). Here's a link that may yield some insight:

http://www.achfoam.com/recycle-eps.aspx

[berserk87]

Are you saying that unicorns eat fairies?

I am inferring that, unintentionally, I think. Unicorns are omnivorous so it makes sense.

[rustychisel]

No, unicorns are herbivores.

Collateral damage. It's a well known fact that a well trained unicorn can impale a lot of fairies, upwards of a dozen, actually. I've seen the documentary.

[berserk87]

No, unicorns are herbivores.

Collateral damage. It's a well known fact that a well trained unicorn can impale a lot of fairies, upwards of a dozen, actually. I've seen the documentary.

Dude. Now you are just making stuff up.

[Dr Luxurious]

No, unicorns are herbivores.

Collateral damage. It's a well known fact that a well trained unicorn can impale a lot of fairies, upwards of a dozen, actually. I've seen the documentary.

Yeah but that's only Auss. unicorns. EVERY animal down there is flippin dangerous!

[nrs5000]

No, unicorns are herbivores.

That's what I thought

Collateral damage. It's a well known fact that a well trained unicorn can impale a lot of fairies, upwards of a dozen, actually. I've seen the documentary.

Makes perfect sense

[rustychisel]

EVERYTHING ON THE INTERNET IS TRUE.

The NSA said so.

[nrs5000]

Yeah but that's only Auss. unicorns. EVERY animal down there is flippin dangerous!

Does unicornus australiius ever impale a drop bear?

[berserk87]

Is it true that when an Aussie unicorn flushes the toilet, the water swirls in the opposite direction as here in the USA?

[Lewis Moon]

Is it true that when an Aussie unicorn flushes the toilet, the water swirls in the opposite direction as here in the USA?

Unicorns don't need toilets. Their poop can cure cancer.

[Bob Ross]

Wondering the same thing. Is it to prevent someone from pulling it out of the trash and sticking it on their head? If so, that seems like overkill.

I've heard the same advice ("cut the straps") and it didn't sound like overkill to me; I've seen so much dumpster-diving going on around here that I am 100% certain some neighborhood kid would be sporting my recently-discarded Bell 24 hours after I tossed it, and then I'd probably be lucky enough to watch him biff a turn, bang his head on the curb, die, and then in addition to a tiny smidgen of guilt I'd be plauged by his relatives' civil suit. F that, I cut the straps

...and then to be sure, I cut the helmet into three pieces with a hacksaw.

(Admittedly that might've been overkill.)

[nrs5000]

Is it true that when an Aussie unicorn flushes the toilet, the water swirls in the opposite direction as here in the USA?

No because they don't use toilets. But the spiral on their horn is in the opposite direction.

[mecse]

I've heard the same advice ("cut the straps") and it didn't sound like overkill to me; I've seen so much dumpster-diving going on around here that I am 100% certain some neighborhood kid would be sporting my recently-discarded Bell 24 hours after I tossed it, and then I'd probably be lucky enough to watch him biff a turn, bang his head on the curb, die, and then in addition to a tiny smidgen of guilt I'd be plauged by his relatives' civil suit. F that, I cut the straps

...and then to be sure, I cut the helmet into three pieces with a hacksaw.

(Admittedly that might've been overkill.)

So I'm convinced :) I'll cut the straps. What about the rest of it? I was more thinking of the whole environmental thing. I gues there's some good reading to do.

[Tony T]

If your replacement is the same model, salvage any usable part (inserts, etc…)