We’ve had an email from Sue:

I’d be grateful if you could help me. I am trying to find somewhere to take an old motorbike helmet for recycling – I have googled but the only useful suggestion I could find was to take it to an old ambulance station for them to use to practice taking off dummies! I live in London but am willing to post it somewhere to be put to good use.

I’m presuming the helmet is damaged in some way that it wouldn’t be safe for use on a motorbike any more – if it is ok, just no longer wanted, it could go on Freecycle/eBay for re-use for its intended purpose. UPDATE: Ok, turns out they shouldn’t really be used secondhand (see comments).

What if it is damaged/potentially compromised though? I love the ambulance station idea or using it as an educational aid in other ways – anyone know of any initiatives/organisations that could use it?

Are there any creative reuses for them? I wonder if they could be turned into themed furniture/houseware for a motorbike fan – I have half a memory of seeing one turned into a lamp but can’t find anything about that now. The only thing I can find is a link to an artist who builds on them to make scary alien/fantasy creature heads – which isn’t the same things at all ;)

Jami has asked what can be done with “broken bike helmets”.

Like children’s car seats, hardshell bike helmets have to be retired after a bump in case they’ve been damaged structurally and so might not be as protective at the critical moment.

Like hard hats, I bet they’d made fun hanging baskets – or even used for something like growing tomatoes upside down.

Any other suggestions?

Other bike related Recycle This queries

• How can I reuse or recycle a bike saddle?
• How can I reuse or recycle a bicycle inner tubes?
• How can I reuse or recycle a crooked bicycle wheel?

(Photo by charlotel)