Recycling Mystery: How To Keep Hard Hats Out Of Landfills

Hard hats protect workers in construction, manufacturing, and other hazardous environments. But like all safety gear, they have a lifespan—and when they wear out, proper disposal is a challenge. Here’s what you need to know about what materials hard hats contain, when to replace them to ensure worker safety, and how to recycle them responsibly.

What Are Hard Hats Made Of?

Most hard hats are tpically made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), fiberglass, resin, and carbon fiber. These materials provide impact resistance, durability, and protection from electrical hazards. However, the combination of these materials makes hard hats non-recyclable through municipal curbside and transfer-station programs. Unlike single-material plastics, which can be sorted and processed easily, compound materials require specialized recycling solutions. Samsung, for example, has experimented with recycling hard hats to make 3D-printing material, but the practice has not spread to 

When Should You Replace Your Hard Hat?

Hard hats don’t last forever. Over time, exposure to sunlight, extreme temperatures, and general wear and tear can degrade the materials, compromising their effectiveness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and manufacturers recommend:

• Replacing hard hats every five years under normal working conditions.
• Replacing hard hats every two years if used in extreme environments with high heat, cold, or chemical exposure.
• Immediately replacing hard hats that show visible cracks, dents, or signs of brittleness.
• Check the suspension system regularly and replace it if worn or stretched out.

A good rule of thumb? If your hard hat looks damaged or you can’t remember when you got it, it’s time for a new one.

How to Recycle Old Hard Hats

Because hard hats contain mixed materials, they cannot be recycled curbside. Throwing them in the trash contributes to landfill waste, but there’s a better option.

Some private recyclers, like Flat Can Recycling in Elburn, Illinois, offer local drop-off services for hard hats. Several countries, including Britain, are developing national hard hat recycling programs, but that progress has not reached the United States.

But the most convenient options we’ve found are mail-in programs currently offered only in Australia by Terracycle, which sells a Hard Hat Zero Waste Box, and Veolia’s Recyclepak service for hard hats. We urge Terracycle to offer the service in the United States. The smaller Zero Waste Box is A$215, so take the time to fill it with used hard hats, then ship it back to TerraCycle, which will break down the materials and reuse them in new products instead of sending them to landfills.

Other Reuse Options

If there is no easy recycling solution available, consider whether your old hard hat can be repurposed. Some creative ideas include:

Hard hats play a vital role in workplace safety, but when they reach the end of their lifespan, they don’t have to become waste. American workers deserve a better solution than landfilling the  millions of hard hats discarded annually. Workers and businesses can keep people and planet safer by replacing hard hats at the right time and choosing responsible recycling options.