How to recycle your helmet

Nothing lasts forever. Definitely, not a helmet with several bullet hits. But if your ballistic helmet is old and tired, what do you do with it? How do you get rid of it? How best do you dispose? Hang it on the wall? Shove it up in your closet? The possibilities are endless. But on top of your list, the best would be to recycle it.

Not all ballistic helmets are recyclable. So, to confirm whether or not your helmet can be recycled, here’s what you need to do. Start by taking off all forms of accessories and covers from the helmet. Cut off the retention system (straps or buckles) using a sharp pair of scissors. You can throw them (together with the buckles) into the trash can.

Search for the plastic recycle symbol on the helmet shell. Once you find it, you can go visit or contact your local recycling agency and enquire if they accept that plastic for recycling. Once it is confirmed, you can easily drop your old ballistic helmet in your curbside recycling bin, at the recycling center, or simply dispose it in your regular trash can.

However, if you find out that you are not able to recycle your helmet, there is a long list of other things that you can do to get rid of your helmet. Sure, the first thing that comes to mind is to give it away. However, you can consider converting the helmet into something useful.

For instance, are you a lover of plants? Then you’re in luck. You can convert your helmet shell to a plant pot. Some would even consider this as a metaphoric statement. Start by lining your helmet with a cloth. Then you can fill it with solid and seeds and hang it by its straps. For this project, try to choose a plant that doesn’t occupy a lot of space.

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