Recycle

Where Can I Recycle Car Seats?

Car seats are a necessity if you’re driving around with a baby on board. As your tyke grows up, you’ll be switching out seats until they’ve grown tall enough to no longer need one.

Car seats often end up in landfills after years of collecting dust in the basement. You cannot recycle a car seat curbside either. Luckily, there are a few options for where these seats can go.

REUSE Car Seats

Don’t be quick to throw away your car seats! If your car seat:

  • has not expired
  • has not had a safety recall
  • never been in an accident
  • still in good condition

Get the most use out of it! Pass along the seat to a friend or donate to a local charity shop or thrift. Check with the organization if they do accept them. You have a better chance of it finding a new home by reaching out to an organization that provides family services. Selling the car seats may prove to be a challenge and buyers would most likely want it for a very cheap deal.

If you’re still not sure if your car seat is okay to donate, use this Consumer Reports guide to help you determine an answer.

Where to Recycle Car Seats

Target has a car seat trade-in program. Introduced in April 2016, Target claims to have recycled 7.4 million pounds of material.

Target’s trade-in program is taking place between April 22- May 4. Most stores are participating in the program but check their website to see if there’s one near you. Target will accept car seats ranging from infant seats to booster car seats.

If you trade-in your car seat at Target, you’ll receive a 20% off coupon for a new car seat or other baby gear.

If you own an expired, damaged, or unusable Clek seat, you can send them your seat to be recycled. Head on over to their site for shipping instructions. You can receive a discount code that can be used on a future purchase.

To avoid the landfill and attempt to recycle, you will have to break the seat apart. Car seats are made out of different materials so you will have to separate the metals and plastics that are recyclable from those that aren’t. These materials have to go through individual waste streams.

Siani Colon

Siani Colón is a Philly-based journalist, born and raised in the city, focused on community-based reporting. In her free time, she volunteers with the Tacony Creek Park.

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