What Do You Do With Old Car Seats

They State That They Accept The Following During These Drives:

• infant seats
• convertible seats
• harness or booster seats

Target has partnered with the company Waste Management to make sure these are properly recycled, taking some of the work out of it. Oftentimes, theyll also give you a discount for your trade-in, making it a great deal for parents looking to replace their seats with something new.

Walmart also has similar events, teaming up with the company TerraCycle. Their first event happened in 2019, but theyve continued to sponsor it. According to TerraCycle, theyll take any car seats but not booster seats. Those who wish to partake often get a gift card in return typically, its for $30 but thats subject to change, especially based on location. The best thing to do is to call Walmart and see if your local branch is offering the program.

How Can You Travel Without Car Seats

If you can find a destination where you can get aroundwithout having to rent a car, you can avoid the hassle of traveling with carseats.

Do these places exist? They certainly do! Weve spent a lotof time researching and coming up with places we can travel without needing carseats. We love the hassle of not traveling with them!

Here are the questions you need to ask when looking for destinations where you wont need to travel with a car seat:

We took our first trip to Barcelona with a baby . We had specifically chosen Barcelona because we knew wed be able to easily get from the Barcelona El Prat airport to our hotel using public transportation and during our stay we could get around by walking.

Brands And Manufacturers Now Offer Recycling Programs

Surprisingly, the World leadership for car seat recycling comes from Australia, where they have recently made car seat manufacturers pledge to create wider recycling programs. Britax, Infasecure, and Dorel sell 80% of car seats in Australia and are fully on-board with the initiative. Hopefully, we should see their programs extended to Canada and the USA.

The good news is that even today some car seat manufacturers already offer recycling programs. For example, if you own a Clek Brand car seat you can recycle it for a small fee of about $40.

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Renting From A Baby Equipment Rental Company

Depending on how long and where you will be traveling with your baby or toddler, car seats can be rented from a baby equipment rental company. If you dont plan to travel with your car seat, then this is a great option to avoid carrying extra baby gear. Car seats from a reputable baby equipment rental company will be in better shape and clean/sanitized for you.

Most will meet you at the airport and might be able to give you some tips on installing the car seat. You should also know in advance what car seat brand and type you will be getting so you can find the installation instructions in advance to help you install them easier.

The only real downsides of renting from a baby equipment rental company are:

Weve rented car seats from baby equipment rental companiesin Sedona, San Diego and even Mexico. We were met at the airport car rentalagency and had great experiences all three times.

How To Trade In Your Car Seat

One amazing option you may not know about is trading in! Retailers like Target and Walmart have ran temporary car seat trade in programs. They often recycle your car seat and offer store credit or a gift card. The amount you get in return will vary, but you can use the funds to get your next car seat!

These excellent car seat trade in programs do not typically run year round. Check ahead of time with Walmart, Target or your local retailer to learn when the next program is. That way you can get your next car seat and recycle your last one.

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Used Car Seat Checklist

It pays to be sure. Do your research. Have your seat checked. When in doubt, recycle it.

Kids use an average of three car seats before moving to a standard seat belt. Reusing a car seat can be an option to reduce waste and save costs, but only if you can answer yes to all of these questions. If not, please keep your children safe by recycling the seat.

The car seat can be reused if it:

Has not been in a crash and is not visibly damaged.

Has all its parts, including hardware, harness and tether straps.

Has an instruction book.

Car Seat Recycling & Donation In Kentucky

• Hopes Closet provides foster and adoptive children with clothing and other necessities free of charge. They accept used car seats that arent expired and havent been in an accident.
• Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Inc., a non-profit organization, is dedicated to providing resettlement services to refugees through faith- and agency-based co-sponsorship to promote self-sufficiency and successful integration into our community. They accept Baby items such as Cribs/bassinets, car seats, and all other baby items.
• Since 1977, The Nest has been a lifeline for all individuals and families in crisis, facing adversity, or who have unexpected needs. Adult toiletries, cleaning supplies and paper products, diapers, formula, and unexpired and undamaged car seats are their most needed items. For more information, contact Adam Kuhn, Family Assistance Coordinator, at 259-1974 x222 or .
• Pregnancy Centers are always in need of baby items such as car seats. Here is a list of Pregnancy Centers across Kentucky that are recognized by the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Contact the center in your area to see if they will accept car seats.

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How To Recycle Old Car Seats

While trying to figure out what to do with old car seats, you might not think of the number one solution recycling. By recycling old car seats, youre further doing your part in helping the environment. The plastic used in making these seats often lasts anywhere between six and 10 years before starting to get unpredictable. So, its good to know that recycling this plastic can give it a second life.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when throwing away old car seats. If youre not donating it, heres how to recycle it properly.

• When recycling these devices, strip the car seat of its fabric and padding and throw it away. The plastic frame left behind can be recycled.
• Cut the harness straps out of the seat. These go into the trash.
• Take out any metal parts in the car seat using a screwdriver. Metal is recyclable.

Each state runs recycling programs differently. Youll want to contact the Department of Transportation in your state to see if theres a proper car seat recycling program. By recycling, youre ensuring that your old car seat doesnt take up unnecessary space at the dump. Even worse, some people in need might try to visit a dump if they need a car seat. While its nice to know that its being reused, it can be dangerous if the seat has unknowingly expired. When car seats are concerned, safety will always be a top priority. Remember, its likely those seats ended up there because theyre no longer up to code.

How Many Recycling Centres Accept Car Seat

Now, how much car seats are disposed of every year? The answer: 200,000. Unfortunately, most of these disposed of car seats go into landfill. Only a few of them are actually recycled. But the question is why?

As already mentioned above, that is because they are made from a mixture of materials. Components of a car seat must include rigid plastic, metal, and fabric. Additionally, they are strongly bonded together, so recycling a car seat is hard.

Some recycling centres dont accept them because of this. For this reason, what alternatives can we do to properly dispose of car seats while only limited options exist?

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Donating A Car Seat Where Do I Donate A Car

You can help kids more than just donating a car seat. If you have an unused car, donate it to benefit the kids of Make-A-Wish.

The proceeds from the car donation help Make-A-Wish kids get their wishes granted! We almost any vehicle from almost anywhere in the U.S. absolutely free. You also get a 100% tax deduction when you donate.

Your generous car donations helped “wish” kid Ella get her wish granted!

Here’s how to donate a car to benefit Make-A-Wish kids:

Donating a car to help Make-A-Wish kids is just one click away!

Before You Do Anything Make Sure It’s Still Safe For Use

Your car seat must be fully operational for reuse. Here is a car seat safety checklist to know if you qualify for trading or donation:

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Car Seat Recycling & Donation In Massachusetts

• Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive at home, at school, and play. They accept Baby equipment, especially strollers and car seats within five years old.
• Community Giving Tree provides a local opportunity to give back. Hundreds of volunteers, from scout groups to senior citizens, carry out the mission to collect and distribute new and gently used goods. They accept convertible car seats .

Are You Comfortable Holding Your Baby On Your Lap For The Flight

Are you comfortable holding your baby or toddler for the duration of the flight or having them on their own seat without a safety restraint?

Would you feel more comfortable having your baby in a car seat during your flight?

If you arent comfortable with a lap baby or having your toddler sitting on the seat next to you without a safety restraint, then you should fly with a car seat. Youll have to buy a seat for your baby or toddler, unless you get lucky snagging an extra seat.

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Target Car Seat Trade

In honor of Baby Safety Month this September, Targets semi-annual Car Seat Trade-in program is back and shelves are stocked with new brands to discover and love. From Sunday, Sept. 12 to Saturday, Sept. 25, you can head to a participating Target store to trade in your old car seats and receive a coupon for 20 percent off a new car seat, stroller, or select baby gear. To use the coupon, youll need to enroll in the free Target Circle rewards program .

According to the retailer, the old seats will be recycled and turned into items like plastic buckets, pallets, and carpet padding. The program has reportedly done this with 1,100,000 car seats, or more than 17 million pounds of plastic, since it began in 2016.

So, keep your eyes peeled for trade-in events like this one.

Car Seat Recycling & Donation In New Hampshire

• Safe Kids Salt Lake County Car Seat Recycling Initiative
• The IRC in Salt Lake City provides refugees with the basics they will need to start rebuilding their lives in the U.S. They accept only new car seats.
• DDI Vantage offers Early Intervention, Early Head Start and Child Care, and Adult and Youth Services programs. They also accept only new car seats.

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Was Your Car Seat In A Collision

If your seat has been in a collision, it must be disposed of immediately. Even a minor fender bender has potential to damage the seat.

I hear a lot of parents say, but it wasnt a big collision, the seat is fine. My question is always, How do you know? There is no way to know the extent of the stress that a collision puts on a car seat. Manufacturers know this which it is why they print it in all car seat owners manuals to replace a seat after a collision.

Why would want to take a chance, and guess that the seat is fine? It would be very unfortunately to get in a second collision only to find out that the seat was not fine, and your child is injured or worse.

Please read below for how to dispose of an un-safe seat.

Dumping Your Old Car Seat

When faced with a situation where there are no recycling options available in your area, it is best to destroy the car seat and take it to the local dump.

Remove the cover, cut the harness, and write expired do not use in marker. Bag it up and put it out with your garbage, or take it to the dump. Make it unusable for anyone else so they dont unknowingly compromise the safety of their child by using an expired car seat.

I want to be clear that destroying and taking an old expired car seat to a landfill is an option of a very last resort. Anything, literally anything, is better than creating even more waste.

Frankly, I would even consider sticking that car seat into my storage locker, basement, or garage to sit there and collect dust until a local recycling program is introduced. With the current trend towards the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle movement, waste reduction, sustainability and eco-lifestyle, hopefully, we wont wait much longer before we are able properly recycle car seats anytime anywhere.

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What To Do With Your Old Car Seats

Your little ones car seat has been a staple of the backseat ever since their first trip home from the hospital. From spills and meltdowns to road trips and adventures, your kids car seat has been through it all. But now your little one isnt so little, and its time to retire their car seat. But what do you do with an old car seat? Lucky for you, there are a few different options when it comes to recycling a car seat.

Many Parents Believe That You Can Actually Be Fined For Using A Car Seat Past The Expiration Date Is That So

Canada

In Canada, all provinces and territories require babies to be buckled up in the appropriate car seat. Several provinces also require booster seats for kids who have outgrown a baby car seat but are still too small for a regular seat belt.

The provincial and territorial laws also say that the baby car seats and booster seats must be certified to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and must be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions . If you don’t follow the instructions you may be putting your childs safety at risk and you may be found guilty of breaking the law.

The reason I say may is because I could not find anything about an expiry on a car seat in the actual law. For example Province of British Columbia requires kids to be properly restrained, yet an expired car seat is not an issue that is mentioned.

Similarly, in Alberta, the law does not specify which type of seat must be used, only that it must be installed properly and the child is safely secured. The fine for not following this law is $155.

The USA

Surprisingly, in the US there is not a single actual law that prohibits resale or reuse of car seats past its expiration date.

In our opinion, however, if you make a decision to use an expired car seat for your own child you may be exposing your child to not being fully protected during accidentssummer.2018. Reselling an expired car seat would at the very least, be completely unethical.

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