(Tom Smart, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — It’s time to upgrade the baby’s car seat, but, the old one is a substantial piece of equipment, and throwing it away feels irresponsible.
This is a problem faced by millions of Americans each year according to Carseat Recycling.
Luckily, consumers have options. They range from retail outlets accepting the seats and offering coupons for new ones, to national car seat recycling programs.
Whether you have an infant seat, a highback booster seat, or a harness child seat, Carseat Recycling.com will mail you a recycling kit that includes a large bag for the seat and a pre-paid shipping label. Then you can drop off the seat (in the bag, with the label) at any UPS store. This service ranges in price from $40 to $65 USD.
This company also offers a gift card, in case you know someone who’ll soon be facing the “what do I do with my old car seat” dilemma.
On its website, Carseat Recycling said it has kept 7.5 million pounds of waste out of landfills.
This is a popular and easy option. To mark Earth Day, Target offers a car seat trade-in program. Bring your old infant car seats, convertible car seats, car seat bases or harness/booster car seats to the guest service area of Target and leave the seat in a designated drop box.
Target will give you a 20% off coupon to buy a new car seat or other baby gear at their store.
On its website, Target says that most stores are participating in this trade-in program through Saturday, April 29, 2023.
Though it has not yet announced plans for a 2023 car seat trade-in, Walmart has offered this option to customers since 2019.
If your old car seat is in good shape, has not been recalled, and has not expired, some groups will accept it as a donation. These include parenting classes that use the seats to demonstrate proper usage, certain charities, or pregnancy resource centers.
If you are considering giving the car seat to a friend, assure the seat is the proper size for the friend’s child.