How to get rid of old child car seats

What to Do With Old Car Seats (4 Clever Things You Can Do)

Have you caught the spring cleaning bug and now you’re not sure what to do with your child’s old car seat? As it turns out, there are a ton of different routes to take.

There are a few deciding factors on the various things you can do and a lot of it will depend on the seat’s condition and expiration date. We’re going to cover everything you need to know and more in this article.

So don’t worry, we’re going to help you reclaim the space in your home your child’s old car seat is taking up.

Table of Contents

• Is It Expired?
• Can Car Seats Be Reused?
• How to Get Rid of a Used Car Seat

Is It Expired?

If the car seat is expired, it shouldn’t be used again with a child in it. Its parts will break down from wear and tear over time, so it isn’t safe to use anymore. Car seat expiration dates are put into place to give you an idea of the seat’s lifespan.

To find the expiration date on the car seat, just flip it over and look on the back or on the bottom. The expiration date is usually either printed on a sticker or embossed into the plastic. Other manufacturers may print it inside the instruction manual.

Can Car Seats Be Reused?

There may be some cases where a seat can be reused. Personally, we don’t recommend the reselling or purchasing of used car seats because you can’t be 100 percent sure of the quality. However, if you’re using it again for your own family, it may be fine.

So, when can you reuse an old car seat?

• It isn’t expired: A car seat is technically still good up until the date manufacturers give. We recommend not using it within a month or two of the date to give yourself plenty of time to replace it.
• It hasn’t been in an accident: Minor accidents don’t automatically destroy a car seat’s integrity. However, if the seat has been in a moderate to severe crash, it’s recommended to replace it immediately ⁽¹⁾. Some car seat manufacturers require you to replace the car seat after any crash, even if it was only minor.
• It’s clean: Of course, you don’t want your second (or third, fourth, etc.) child to have to use a dirty car seat. If you want to reuse the seat, make sure to give it a good scrub down. Be sure to follow the cleaning instructions in your car seat manual. This is especially important if it’s been packed away for a bit.
• It’s still in good condition: Check for broken pieces or other wear and tear. Be sure to look under the fabric cover to fully inspect the seat. Even the smallest nick can render a seat unusable.

It’s important to take extra care when using a secondhand car seat. Give the seat a thorough look over to make sure there’s no damage before choosing to use it. You should also be sure to register the seat so you can be informed of any recalls. You can check for any current recalls here.

How to Get Rid of a Used Car Seat

If you do find that the car seat is expired or it’s been in a moderate to severe car crash, there are still things you can do.

1. Trade-In Events

Some big-box stores usually hold car seat trade-in events throughout the year. As far as we can see, the only store that still does this is Target, but there may be others.

These trade-in events allow you to bring in an old or unusable car seat and get a coupon in return. Target offers 20 percent off a new car seat, stroller, or other piece of baby gear, when you trade in. They started this program in 2016 and it’s gained major popularity since then.

All old car seats traded in at Target are recycled and turned into different products like pallets, buckets, and construction materials ⁽²⁾.

Trade-in events are definitely the most convenient option and we recommend this the most. Not only do you get to get rid of your old car seat, but you get a good deal on an upgrade for your child, too.

2. Donate It

Most places are really picky about used car seats even if they’re still in excellent condition. However, you may still find that some organizations accept them. Be upfront about the condition of the seat so they know what they’re receiving. After all, you don’t want to compromise anyone’s safety.

• Women’s shelters or other local charities: There are many organizations that provide resources to families in need. Often foster families are short on necessities like car seats.
• Church organizations: Church organizations are always looking to help. Some may have ministries where they give away car seats to needy families. This is another good option to consider, especially if you’re religious.
• Local CPSTs: Child passenger safety technicians are trained on car seat safety and how to install car seats ⁽³⁾. They teach parents the ropes. Reach out to a CPST to see if they’d like to have your old seat for demonstration purposes.

3. Proper Recycling Protocol

Rather than opting to throw the old car seat in the trash, you can choose to recycle it yourself. You should first call your local recycling center to see if they accept plastics from old car seats. If they do, here is what you should do:

• Locate your nearest recycling center: Ask your local recycling center whether they accept car seats and how they would like to receive them. Find a center that accepts car seats here.
  Check recycling guidelines: Call the center and ask their specific guidelines for car seats. Some may want you to just bring the naked frame and others may want it completely broken down first.
• Remove the extras: This includes any fabric, padding, or straps on the car seat. Remove the cover as well and use scissors to cut the harness straps out of the seat. These parts probably won’t be recyclable, so they can go in the trash.
• Remove all metal pieces: You’ll probably need a screwdriver for this. It’s important to remove as much of the metal as possible from the car seat. This will only need to be done if your recycling center requires you to. Some centers may do this part themselves.

4. Proper Trash Protocol

If for some reason the seat can’t be recycled, donated, or traded in, it can be thrown away with the trash. There are, however, a few guidelines to follow before doing so. They’re similar to the recycling guidelines and there to ensure it can be disposed of efficiently:

• Remove all extra padding and foam.
• Cut away any straps.
• Remove all metal pieces from the seat.
• Mark the seat. You should clearly mark it as “UNSAFE” or “EXPIRED” on the bare plastic seat so nobody will be tempted to reuse it. Then you can set it out with the rest of your garbage.

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Medically Reviewed by

Kristen Gardiner, CPST

Kristen Gardiner, CPST is a writer, wife, and mother to three boys. Kristen became certified as a Child Passenger Safety Technician by Safe Kids Worldwide in 2015 and loves to volunteer and help educate parents about car seat safety. She has a passion for all things related to child safety.

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How to Get Rid of a Used Car Seat

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Real Talk

Advice, staff picks, mythbusting, and more. Let us help you.

Published April 20, 2018

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Last January, I needed to get rid of two car seats that my girls had outgrown. Safety experts caution against giving them away unless they’re in near-perfect condition (most charities won’t even take them), and finding recycling programs specific to car seats is rare. What could I do to keep the seats from going straight to a landfill?

This April 22 through May 5, Target will host its first trade-in program of 2018. Bring in your unwanted seat and get a coupon for 20 percent off a new seat or stroller.

At a loss for better options, my husband and I tore our car seats apart, as best we could, and put the exoskeleton-like shells out with the recycling bags on the curb, hoping for the best. Next recycling day, the truck didn’t pick up the shells, and I spent a week anxiously imagining them decomposing right there on the sidewalk, weathering a millennium of snowstorms and humid New York City heat waves. Although the seats were eventually picked up, I couldn’t shake my guilt. I wondered if the seats were really recycled, and if I should have tried harder to pass them on.

The problem of getting rid of big, bulky gear (or other similar home goods) isn’t unique to car seats. But considering that most kids will go through three before they turn 11, and the safety issues involved with handing them down, car seats pose a pretty significant disposal issue. After seeking the advice of a child-passenger safety expert, a specialty recycler, and my local department of sanitation, I determined the best practices for donating and recycling a seat. But most of them require more work than you might expect.

Pass it on ... but only if you can vouch for its condition

You can give away or sell a used seat, but it better be in near-perfect condition. The next owners should be able to talk with you, ideally in person, about the seat’s history. Lorrie Walker, training manager and technical advisor for the Buckle Up Program at Safe Kids Worldwide (which certifies Child Passenger Safety technicians), told me the seat should meet the following criteria:

It should be within the expiration date. Car seats have expiration dates, which might make some parents suspicious that manufacturers are just trying to make us buy more stuff. But like anything, the components of the seats can wear out over time. “Those expiration dates are there for a good reason,” Jose Ucles, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Transportation, told me in an email. “An expiration date tells you about the integrity of the seat’s components. Webbing, plastic, foam, buckles, etc., experience wear and tear over time that could weaken their ability to provide optimal crash protection.” Infant seats (our favorite is the Chicco Keyfit 30) usually expire five to six years after the manufacture date. Convertible seats (we recommend Britax’s Marathon ClickTight) expire after about 10 years. Look for the date in the manual or on the seat.

It should be from the original owner and never have been in a moderate to serious crash. Only the original owner will know the full history of the seat and can vouch that it’s never been in an accident. “Once a car seat’s been in a crash, much like a bike helmet or a motorcycle helmet, it’s no good,” said Walker. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a fender bender might be okay, though.

It should not have any missing parts, or parts that you’ve jerry-rigged. Walker told me a nightmare story about a child who was ejected from a car seat that the parents had bought at a yard sale. Only after the crash did they discover the prior owners had replaced a steel bar that was supposed to hold the car seat harness straps in place with a soft, straw-like metal rod that couldn’t support the weight of the child.

The seat shouldn’t be under recall. And if it was recalled, make sure it was fixed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. “Many of the recall items are generally fixable at home, they’re not difficult to do,” said Walker.

Ideally, the safety manual and registration card should be included, though if you’ve lost the original manual most car seat manufacturers have PDF versions online. Walker recommends the new owners also register the seat to receive updates on recalls, which can be done with the registration card (if you still have it) or through the NHTSA.

Checking all the boxes on this list can be a tall order for the average parent. “Very few people want that responsibility,” said Walker.

Look for buyback programs

Target and other stores periodically host events where you can bring in your old seat and receive a coupon toward your next purchase. What happens to the seats after the trade-in depends on the retailer and which disposal company it has partnered with. Some partners, like TerraCycle, will recycle the entire seat (including the foam and fabric covers), others recycle only the most valuable materials (usually the metal and some of the plastic). Some retailers just send them to a landfill.

Target ran two buyback programs in 2017 where it partnered with TerraCycle, a company that specializes in hard-to-recycle items. A rep from Target told me the company recycled nearly 80,000 seats, equaling over one million pounds, during one event alone. This April 22 through May 5, Target will host its first trade-in program of 2018, this time partnered with a company called Waste Management. Bring in your unwanted seat and you’ll get a coupon for 20 percent off a new car seat or stroller.

Recycle it—if you can!

Your next best option is to recycle your seat through your municipality (call to see if it takes them) or one of the rare car seat recycling programs. Car seats are challenging to recycle because they’re made of so many materials, which need to be separated for individual waste streams. Most programs will recycle only the metal and some of the plastic parts of the frame, which have more value than the foam and fabric covers.

“The only way I see that car seats would be recycled by a municipality is if they’re going to cherry pick the parts of the car seat that are valuable or have any value to them once they’re separated,” said Brett Stevens, vice president of material sales and procurement at TerraCycle. Corporate subsidies allow TerraCycle to recycle less-profitable parts. For instance, Target paid TerraCycle to recycle the car seats from its two trade-in programs in 2017. TerraCycle also partners with a range of companies for free recycling programs for packaging, like snack bags and toothpaste tubes. “That’s why we’re able to exist,” said Stevens, “because of the generous sponsorship of these companies.”

It took my husband and me a curse-inducing hour with an electric drill, screwdriver, and hammer to remove a fraction of the metal pieces embedded in the plastic.

If you decide to recycle through your municipality, remove the cover and cut off the straps, harnesses, and buckles. Basically, make it unusable. If the seat isn’t fit for donating, you don’t want another family nabbing it.

Before putting my daughters’ seats on the curb, I followed advice I’d read on the Internet and broke the shells apart as much as possible. In practice, I found this to be backbreaking work that most people probably won’t hassle with. It took my husband and me a curse-inducing hour with an electric drill, screwdriver, and hammer to remove a fraction of the metal pieces embedded in the plastic. I felt better about our weak performance after I talked to Walker: “I’ve been at [disposal] events through the years where somebody has piled the car seats in a really big heap and then they take an earth mover and try and crush them...sometimes it takes this earth mover going over it three or four times to break the molds on these car seats.”

Throw it out ... but do it right!

If you do need to send the car seat to a landfill, take it apart first (again, you don’t want a family mistaking it for a giveaway and using it). As you would if recycling the shell, cut off all the straps, buckles, and harnesses. “That way you’ve completely rendered the carseat unable to be used,” Walker said. She recommends putting the shell in one dark garbage bag, and the straps and cover in another.

As for my daughters’ car seats, I tried to investigate their fate by emailing the NYC Department of Sanitation’s press office. Hypothetically, I asked, If I put the stripped car seat shells out with the rest of my recycling, would they be recycled? I quickly got a response from Vito Turso, a deputy commissioner at the department: “We accept all rigid plastics for recycling, so I think you can say yes.”

Well, probably yes and no.

Further reading

• The Best Booster Car Seats

  by Rebecca Gale

  We researched over 50 booster car seats and tested 12, and we found the Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus performed the best and is convenient to use.

• How to Get Rid of Lice

  by Shannon Palus

  Depending on which removal method you choose, you can save time or money—but not both—when treating a case of head lice.

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five main reasons that make you keep old things - Moscow 24, 04.12.2014

School notebooks, worn jeans, long-used and dusty players and phones. According to psychologists, everything that we do not use for more than a year automatically turns into trash. Which, by the way, programs us for poverty. But is it so easy to get rid of junk?

M24.ru found five reasons that make us keep old things, and figured out how to force ourselves to sort out household rubble. nine0003

Photo: m24.ru

1. Because we are used to being frugal

Has the dress gone out of fashion? Are your favorite sneakers torn? Broken laptop? Approximately 88 percent of Russians do not know how to part with old and unnecessary things. We store clothes and shoes, magazines and books, toys, postcards, appliances and much more that we don’t use at all.

Pathological frugality, experts assure, is in Russian blood. It is hard for our grandparents, who grew up in the war and post-war years, to throw things away - because of the poverty they experienced and the fear of being left with nothing, they put aside all sorts of things for a "rainy day" all their lives. Hence - endless five-liter cans, bags in bags, broken skis and other rubbish, which to this day is neatly stored by our compatriots on balconies, mezzanines and cottages. nine0003

Of course, it's good to be thrifty, but still, the next time you send holey sweaters, cracked plates and laminate remnants to the back of a closet or balcony, think about it: are you turning into Gogol's Plushkin?

Syllogomania, pathological hoarding, or Plushkin's syndrome is a disorder in which a person experiences a passion for collecting and storing things. Clothes, books, household utensils and other items are not used, but only accumulated. nine0003

It is difficult for a person suffering from syllogomania to throw away rubbish (even the smallest one). Sometimes it doesn’t work at all - he is too reverent about his junk.

Northern peoples, living in unfavorable climatic conditions, are prone to a certain kind of materialism: we store food. This is a tradition on which the well-being of our ancestors depended for centuries during the long winter. So even now, we, the descendants, feel more comfortable if the refrigerator is full of dumplings and other products with a long shelf life. nine0003

In addition, our country has a difficult history: throughout the 20th century, millions of families suffered from hunger and poverty. This still affects: it is more difficult for us to throw things away, especially food. For example, the United States has never participated in defensive wars on its territory, they have a different history, and therefore the attitude towards things is easier: bought - tired - threw it away. And we're scared.

Meanwhile, materialism can be both a manifestation of character traits and a mental pathology. The line is thin, but in any case it is incorrect to say that materialism leads to psychological ill health. After all, it cannot be said that nausea is the cause of poisoning. On the contrary, poisoning leads to nausea. nine0019

Irina Solovieva

psychologist

Photo: m24.ru

if the iPhone breaks. We do not throw away dozens of obsolete things just because we stubbornly hope to use them again someday.

In fact, having lost weight, you would rather buy new jeans than put on those that have been lying on the far shelf of the closet for several years - by then they may simply go out of fashion. And for shoes purchased only because of beauty, there will surely be an equally attractive, but comfortable alternative. Do not be fooled: things that have not been used for years will never be needed again. nine0003

The same applies to books. If you have Marx's multi-volume book and the Great Soviet Encyclopedia gathering dust on your shelf, which you are not going to read, it is better to take them to the library. Do not clutter up your house if you do not have a special room for books: keep only those publications that you like to re-read and that are needed for work and study.

By the way, psychologists say that attachment to old things programs us for poverty. Allowing yourself to leave a torn blouse for a rainy day, you instantly bring its offensive closer - assuming that such a day will come and you really have to walk in a tattered pullover. nine0003

In general, once a month it's good to take and look at what surrounds you - clothes, some books, notes. You need to understand how much all this is necessary right now: whether these things feed your self-esteem or not.

Surely there are things in the closet that do not suit you at the moment, do not relate to your personality. You may have bought some of them when you were not feeling very well. Because of some, you have already "grown up". Or maybe you have books that have already outlived their usefulness. You need to get rid of all this. nine0003

When you open a closet and clothes fall out, it can cause psychological discomfort. There is a feeling that you have a lot of things, but nothing really needed. It's not clear what you want. This can lead to helplessness and insecurity.

Vera Joyful

psychologist, art therapist

Photo: m24.ru

– all this, of course, keeps many stories. Such things represent entire epochs of our lives - school years, past relationships, perfect travels. nine0003

There is nothing wrong with remembering the past - put your favorite papers and trinkets in a box and put it under the bed or on the closet. Just don't overdo it: there is no need to keep a bunch of T-shirts left by an ex-girlfriend, endless teddy bears "from fans" and dozens of old copybooks and student lectures.

Keeping flared jeans, checkered shirts and DC sneakers in the closet doesn't make sense either. After all, you probably still have photos of the times when you wore them. Do you really want to fill your apartment with things that have already served their purpose? nine0003

Materialism can form as an attempt to hold onto something in one's life. For example, it can develop after the loss of a loved one or in the event of separation. Or maybe an aging woman is trying to keep her youth in this way - naturally, unconsciously.

In some cases, things can be sorted out on your own. The main thing is to understand what exactly you are trying to fill in such a symbolic form, what you really lack. What you really don't want to part with. You should still find the strength to let it go from life. If you cannot do this on your own, you can seek psychological help. nine0019

Irina Solovieva

psychologist

Photo: m24.ru

4. Because someone once gave them

Many people are really tormented by the need to get rid of things that were once donated by acquaintances. A bulky figurine of the Eiffel Tower, a clumsy candle stand, a belt that you have never worn and never will. .. Do you even remember who gave it to you and when?

Do not hesitate to clear the house of such things: it is unlikely that a loved one could give something that you will never use. And if a friend was not close, then why are you afraid to hurt - even mentally - his feelings? nine0003

Photo: TASS / Klimchuk Alexander

5. Because you feel sorry for them

Yes, you don't need this little porcelain horse at all. But he was bought in the year of the Horse - that is, in your year! Surely the figurine brings good luck. And anyway, does a tiny bauble take up a lot of space?

Cosmopolitan's 1992 binder was inherited from your aunt, but you collected all the 2002 issues of Snob yourself. Of course, they should not be thrown away: after all, they are dusty, but such a living personification of bygone days. Take out an old wooden chair, too, the hand does not rise. It was sitting on it that you spent your student years poring over term papers and spending sleepless pre-graduation nights. It's a pity somehow. nine0003

Remember: every time you refuse to throw away an object that has objectively become unnecessary, you do not allow yourself to acquire something new. According to a Chinese proverb, there will never be anything new in life until something old is gone ("The old will not go away - the new will not come").

In addition, according to esotericists and psychologists, things that lie and are not used accumulate negative energy, which causes apathy, laziness and pathological fatigue among the inhabitants of a cluttered house. Well, and dust, of course (it is generally contraindicated for allergy sufferers to be Plyushkins). nine0003

If you accumulate things and don't use them, it turns out that energy has no way out. Energy circulates only when you have learned and applied something, bought it and put it on. When things just lie, they bring nothing.

It is necessary to get rid of old things because we immediately have space, free space. Free space, in turn, attracts something new, with new energy.

It is impossible to attract something new if there is physically nowhere to attract, if everything is packed everywhere, something is lying everywhere. You have to throw something away to bring something new into your life. No other way. nine0019

Vera Joyful

psychologist, art therapist

Photo: m24.ru

mental disorder, it will necessarily be accompanied by other disturbing symptoms. For example, inadequate perception of reality, impaired memory and attention.

What matters is what you collect. Let's say it's okay if a mechanic or engineer collects parts that may be useful to him in his work. But often, having "caught" Plushkin's syndrome, you begin to litter the house with completely unnecessary things.