Car seats have an expiration date. This is different than the expiration date for milk, but it is still important for families to ensure they are using the latest in safety technology. If you’ve reached that time limit and you want to get rid of your car seat, you need to take some steps to ensure you don’t break the law. Check the owner’s manual or contact the company for details. You can sell expired car seats without breaking the law, but be careful not to sell them!
Trade-in events
If you’ve recently purchased a new car seat, and you’ve decided that it’s no longer comfortable for your child, there are many places where you can trade-in your old car seat for cash. Target and Walmart both participate in trade-in events, and you can find out if your local store is participating by looking for a sign in the store. Once you’ve traded in your car seat, you can redeem the cash for a Target gift card, which you can use on your next purchase.
In September, Target is launching a trade-in event for expired car seats. During the event, shoppers can take their used car seats to Target stores and receive a 20% off coupon for new baby gear. This coupon can be used through Oct. 8, and the store’s partner Waste Management will recycle the car seat material. It’s a great way to reduce your carbon footprint while still getting your car seat used again.
You can trade-in your expired car seat for cash for a new seat, or you can donate it to a friend. Just make sure to check the expiration date. If you’re not sure about its expiration date, check the manual or serial label for details. Keep in mind that some parts of the car seat may not be recyclable. For example, you may not be able to recycle the harness webbing or cover. In such cases, it’s best to cut it off and remove all the straps and cover. After you’ve done this, you can write ‘trash’ on the shell of the seat.
Another option to consider is a Walmart car seat trade-in event. If you have an expired car seat, you can turn it in at a Walmart store for a $30 Walmart gift card. The store also works with a nonprofit group called TerraCycle to recycle used car seats. This program has helped divert nearly a million car seats from landfills. To make it easier for shoppers to trade-in their used seats, Walmart has joined forces with TerraCycle.
Target has a biannual car seat trade-in event, and customers can recycle their used or damaged car seats at their local Target store. They will have drop-off boxes near guest services. Once your car seat is recycled, you will receive a 20% off Target coupon, which you can use through May 14. The 20% off coupon can be used on new or used car seats, strollers, and other baby gear.
Donating
If you’ve got a lot of expired car seats lying around, don’t throw them in the trash. Instead, cut them up and separate the straps. Then, place the pieces of the expired seat in a black trash bag. Donating expired car seats is not the best option, as these seats no longer protect your child from injuries. Instead, you should try to find a way to donate them or recycle them instead.
You can also donate them to local charities. If you have a lot of used baby gear, you may want to contact TerraCycle, which will recycle your expired car seats for a fee of $36 to $50. Once you’ve paid their fee, you’ll receive a prepaid return label and a collection box. Once you’ve collected enough car seats to donate, you can drop them off at a UPS location.
Some local recycling programs and community facilities will accept expired car seats for recycling. Before dropping them off, call ahead of time to confirm that your seats are acceptable. When disassembling your seats, remove the foam padding and the fabric. If you’re recycling the plastic, you’ll probably need to remove the harness.
If you’re donating an expired car seat to a charity, check to see that it has not been in an accident. If it has, you can recycle it, but it’s not recommended. Otherwise, you can recycle it or trade it for a new one. Just make sure that it’s in good condition.
Before donating your expired car seat to a charity, you should read the expiration date on the seat. These dates vary from one product to another. If you can’t find this information, you can check the serial number on the seat. In any case, the seat’s lifespan is approximately six or seven years.
Target has a trade-in program for car seats. Customers who trade-in their old seats can get up to 20% off new baby gear. Target has also partnered with Waste Management to recycle old car seats.
Donating to a local dump
Donating your expired car seat is an excellent way to recycle your baby’s car seat. You can find many places to donate your expired car seat. Many places have a trade-in program and will accept both new and used seats. These seats are then used to make construction materials or storage equipment. Some of these places also accept car seats and strollers for reuse.
However, don’t donate your old car seats to a dump! They are no longer safe for your child and will not protect him or her in the event of an accident. Even worse, some of them may have been recalled, broken, or degraded. Instead of donating them to a dump, look for a recycling program or a car seat recycling center.
When you donate your expired car seats to a recycling program, it’s important to remember to separate the different materials in the car seat before placing it in the trash. Most programs will recycle the metal frame and some of the plastic parts, but you’ll need to separate the foam from the rest of it. To properly recycle a car seat, you’ll need to remove the seat’s cover and cut off any straps or harnesses that connect it to the rest of the car. You’ll also need to make sure that the seat is in an unusable state, otherwise it won’t be accepted.
Some car seat manufacturers offer a recycling program for their car seats. For example, a Clek brand car seat can be recycled for $40. The program asks that you remove the metal and plastic components, as well as the fabric and foam padding. Depending on the manufacturer, you may also be required to remove the seat’s plastic covers and harnesses to ensure it is accepted.
When you donate your expired car seat to a local dump, be sure to make it clear what the seat is. Remove any metal pieces and write “UNSAFE” and “EXPIRED” in a visible marker on the seat. Then, set the seat out with the rest of the garbage to be recycled.
Selling recalled car seats
Selling recalled car seats is illegal. These seats are unsafe for babies and toddlers. You can find out which seats are recalled at the NHTSA website. You can register your seats online or by mail. Once registered, you will receive notifications of new recalls of recalled seats. In some cases, you can also get a refund for a defective seat.
Some stores, like Target, also offer buyback programs for recalled car seats. Some even offer a coupon or store credit for used car seats. If you are trying to sell a car seat that is recalled, be sure to clearly write “recalled” on the seat. If you are selling it as a used car seat, don’t forget to include the instruction manual.
The seat should also come with a safety manual and registration card. Most manufacturers provide downloadable PDF versions of these documents online. You should also register the seat with the NHTSA so that you’ll receive updates on the recall and fix any problems as soon as possible. For more information, visit the website of the NHTSA.
Remember, the company you buy a car seat from has an incentive to repair or replace the recalled product. The recall may affect your car seat’s functionality, but minor defects can be easily fixed. Some car seats are recalled because their buckles don’t engage properly, resulting in a child’s head or body being thrown out of the car seat in a crash.
The manufacturer of this seat will replace your child’s harness buckles for free. The company will also send you an email if it recalls any recalled car seats. The NHTSA website notes that there are on average eight car seat recalls a year. A recalled seat is still safe to buy if you follow the recall instructions carefully.
Reusing a car seat is dangerous. The seat manufacturer might not have updated the seats’ safety features or made any improvements, so they might not be safe to reuse.
