Used Car Seat Recycling

Car Seat Recycle—With Important Updates

Any parent with a seatbelt-able child will inevitably wonder about what to do with that old, used car seat. If it still works, you might want to pass it on somehow, instead of sending it to a landfill. If it does not, you may be wondering what to do with it.

To answers these questions, we have compiled a guide to help you figure out the best option for you. This guide covers how to tell if your car seat usable or not. If it isn’t, we’ll explain what you can do to get rid of the seat in an easy, earth-friendly way! Let’s take a look at how recycling car seats work, and all the options you have!

Used Car Seats

Before you send your used car seat off into the world to protect babies, you should consider these things:
• Does the car seat function like new?
• Is it broken, damaged, or compromised in any way?
• Has the car seat been recalled recently?
• Are any parts missing or adjusted?

When you sell or lend your used car seat, you have to take responsibility for the condition of the seat. The seat needs to function as it did when you first bought it, to give maximum protection.  Of course, this means that the seat can’t be damaged in any way, because it may not work properly. No one wants a seat to fail a person’s child in a moment of crisis.
This includes checking if the product has been recalled recently. At the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, you can easily check if your old car seat has been recalled. This ensures great safety for the car seat’s next child.
Lastly, you should check to see if any parts are missing or changed on the seat.  Car seats shouldn’t be resold or handed off with crucial parts missing. This can compromise the safety of the next child. Changed or adjusted parts are also a risk, because they alter how the seat works. Especially if parts were cut, replaced, knotted, or removed completely.

Expired Car Seats

Car seats always come with expiration dates, and with good reason, too. Car seats usually expire after six years from the manufacture date, with longer or shorter time spans depending on the manufacturer. This date is usually on the car seat so you can easily reference it before selling or donating. Many parents think that an expiration date on a car seat doesn’t matter, but it actually does.

Expired car seats can:
• Break down on the interior and exterior, sometimes not even visibly
• Work improperly in the event of an accident
• Be missing crucial updates in safety technology

Keeping an eye on your car seat’s date is important for every child’s safety. Materials break down over time, which can cause issues when the material is tested in accidents or impacts. Also, any updates in safety technology may not be present in the older seat, leaving a child more vulnerable. For safety reasons, if you plan to recycle your seat, make sure to check the date before proceeding.

Car Seats that have been in Accidents

Many people believe that if a car seat is in an accident it isn’t reusable, but this is actually far from correct. They are designed to handle a single crisis, and afterwards are considered compromised. Even if a child is not riding in the seat, the seat still experiences shock from the crash. This can damage the seat without visibly showing.

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• No one experienced injuries
• Vehicle was driven away
• The door next to the car seat was damage-free
• Air bags didn’t deploy
• Car seat doesn’t have visible damage

If the car seat meets all of these conditions, you can consider reselling or donating it. If not, or there is any uncertainty, it might be safer to recycle the seat.

Where to Recycle Your Car Seats

Recycling your old car seats is the best option if you can’t resell, lend or donate your old one. This option protects the environment by keeping the car seat from wasting away in a landfill somewhere. To recycle your car seat, you first need to take it apart completely. Separate plastics, metals, and cloth pieces. This disassembly takes roughly 15 minutes, sometimes less if the seat is simpler. Once everything is separated, you can throw everything away properly that isn’t completely metal or completely plastic. Then you can recycle the plastic car seat body and any metal at your local recycling center.

Some areas have options for car seat recycling drop off, so you don’t have to do all the work. There is a great list online at recycleyourcarseat.org that keeps track of areas where you can drop off your seats. This saves you disassembly time and effort!

There are also trade-in opportunities at some stores that you can keep an eye out for! Stores will sometimes allot specific times of the year for accepting these trade-ins. Participating stores will take the entire car seat and sometimes provide an incentive in return. Target is one such store that has an upcoming September trade in. Trade-ins are an excellent recycle option that also saves you time and effort, and can even pay, too!

Final Thoughts

Used car seats do not have to go in the trash. With the right knowledge, you could resell, donate, or just lend your car seat to help another family. Even if the seat isn’t reusable, you can always recycle it to help your child have a cleaner tomorrow!

A lot of the information we discussed is can be confusing and difficult. If you are ever unsure about your car seat, you can call your car seat’s manufacturer for assistance. This number is usually provided in the manual or easily accessible online. We hope our list explained this topic easily, so you can take care of your car seat with confidence!

Make sure you have up-to-date car seats if you are planning a road trip with your family to keep everyone safe!