How to recycle a cycling helmet or ski helmet

5 October 2026; full article from trade magazine Afval!:

The popularity of bicycle helmets is steadily growing, driven by the rise of e-bikes and increased attention to safety. This is also creating a new waste stream. However, initiatives for the circular processing of discarded bicycle helmets remain scarce.

A bicycle helmet does not last forever. For safety reasons, it needs to be replaced after several years of use—or immediately after a severe impact. Yet sustainable solutions for processing discarded bicycle helmets are still few and far between. “The traditional route is simply incineration,” says Paul Wassenaar of helmet manufacturer GO-OFF. “That means valuable plastics are lost. As the number of e-bikes increases, more helmets are entering the market, making this issue increasingly urgent.”

Recycling starts with design

According to Wassenaar, an important step towards recycling begins at the design stage. “A bicycle helmet mainly consists of a plastic outer shell, often made of polycarbonate, and an inner layer of expanded polystyrene (EPS), better known as Styrofoam. It also contains components such as straps, buckles, lights and other accessories.”

Most bicycle helmets currently use an in-mould construction, in which the different components are bonded together using heat, making separation difficult. Belgian helmet manufacturer Lazer, however, has developed a system in which a bicycle helmet’s components are mechanically connected. At the end of its life, consumers can easily disassemble an EcoLoc helmet and submit the separate materials for recycling.

In practice

To investigate how bicycle helmet recycling works in practice in the Netherlands, GO-OFF is collecting used bicycle helmets through its own collection bins and various partnerships. Discarded children’s helmets from BikeFlip—a children’s bicycle subscription platform with a service that adapts as children grow—provide a consistent return stream. After all, children regularly need a different helmet as they grow. Droppie, a collection initiative for various waste streams, is now also collecting bicycle helmets for GO-OFF, Wassenaar explains.

The collected bicycle helmets are shredded at GO-OFF, after which the materials are separated. “The shredded material goes into a large tank of water. The EPS floats, while the polycarbonate sinks to the bottom. This allows us to separate the main material streams,” Wassenaar explains. An external processor then converts the polycarbonate into high-quality plastic granules, adding stabilisers to achieve consistent quality. This raw material can subsequently be reused in plastic products. “It would be great to see this material return in a new helmet or its outer shell.” However, that stage has not yet been reached.

Volume is the biggest challenge

Although the technology is available, the greatest challenge lies in collecting sufficient material. Recycling companies work with large volumes and require consistent raw material quality. “An individual manufacturer simply does not have enough discarded helmets to establish an economically viable recycling stream. A helmet typically lasts several years. Consumers are not yet aware that bicycle helmets can be recycled, so the material is only returning slowly,” Wassenaar emphasises.

That is why GO-OFF is initially collecting used helmets from other brands as well as its own. “Over the coming months, our main goal is to demonstrate that the process works.” A fully circular bicycle helmet, however, remains a future ambition. The EPS component presents a particular challenge, Wassenaar explains. This material is essential to a helmet’s safety because it absorbs the impact of a fall. “Helmet certification places demanding requirements on the properties of the materials used. Recycled raw materials often vary more in quality than virgin materials. That is why establishing consistent material streams is an important first step,” he explains.

No established collection system yet

Other initiatives for collecting used bicycle helmets are currently lacking. When approached, ANWB said it was following developments and innovations in bicycle helmet recyclability with interest, but noted that these were still at an early stage. Although ANWB has circular initiatives for other product categories—such as collecting old suitcases for recycling and material reuse—it does not yet have a similar programme for used bicycle helmets. “Once comparable opportunities become available for bicycle helmets, we will explore the role ANWB could play,” a spokesperson said.

BOVAG also currently has no dedicated programmes or plans for collecting and recycling discarded bicycle helmets, according to a spokesperson. Consumers and the bicycle industry therefore still lack an established route for collecting old bicycle helmets separately and processing them into high-quality recycled materials. Wassenaar nevertheless actively encourages the bicycle industry to order a collection bin from GO-OFF and start collecting. Recycling companies can also deliver discarded helmets to GO-OFF, he adds.