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Another question about used car seats- recycle?

7K views 28 replies 15 participants last post by  alegna 
#1 ·
The thread about used car seats prompted me to ask this question: if you don't give your used car seat to someone else, what else can be done with it? Can they be recycled? Is there some sort of nonprofit that ships them to other places where they would be needed? We're going to keep our car seat for babe #2, but after that, I'd hate for it to go to a landfill.
 
#3 ·
I have 4 children. My 11 1/2 and 10 1/2 yo are out of booster seats but my 8 1/2 yo is still in one since she's only 55 pounds. My almost 5yo is still in one since he is only 40 pounds.

Seriously my carseats are 12 years old before they cannot be passed down anymore and I think you aren't supposed to use them for that long anyway. Unless you live in a car-sentric culture like the USA there isn't a need for them anyway.
 
#4 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by AuntLavender View Post
Seriously my carseats are 12 years old before they cannot be passed down anymore and I think you aren't supposed to use them for that long anyway. Unless you live in a car-sentric culture like the USA there isn't a need for them anyway.
Carseats are dangerous to use past expiration. Please don't do this.

Most carseats expire after 6 years.

-Angela
 
#5 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna View Post
Carseats are dangerous to use past expiration. Please don't do this.

Most carseats expire after 6 years.

-Angela
Why is that, exactly? I've always heard that, but never knew why. Is it something to do with the plastic breaking down, maybe?
 
#7 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs-Mama View Post
Why is that, exactly? I've always heard that, but never knew why. Is it something to do with the plastic breaking down, maybe?
extremes in temps both hot and cold cause stresses in the plastics causing it to become weaker. You wouldn't necessarily know you have a weakened car seat UNTIL you have a accident which is when you need the protection. Most carseats expire after 6 yrs. I reuse and recycle alot but carseats arent one.
 
#8 ·
because I am looking at the owner's manual and there is NOTHING in there about expiration.

I live in Central FL where the heat and humidity are practically unparalleled so I know my plastic has aged! (Paint companies test their paint by painting wood and leaving it outdoors here in FL because our environment is so harsh!)

Sincerely,
Debra, homeschooling mom of 4

http://babyproducts.about.com/b/2006...ats-expire.htm

"...yes, car seats do expire. In fact, most car seats have an expiration date on one of the manufacturer labels that can be found on the sides or bottom of the car seat. To find out if a car seat is expired, you should look for that expiration date label first..."

"...If there's no expiration date listed, use the date of manufacture and consult the car seat owners' manual. Many manufacturers give a maximum car seat life in the manual. If not, call the manufacturer and ask..."

"...A few car seat manufacturers allow 10 years of life for their car seats, but unless you have specific directions from the manufacturer, the car seat label or the manual that state otherwise, you should stop using a car seat after 6 years..."
 
#10 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by AuntLavender View Post
because I am looking at the owner's manual and there is NOTHING in there about expiration.

I live in Central FL where the heat and humidity are practically unparalleled so I know my plastic has aged! (Paint companies test their paint by painting wood and leaving it outdoors here in FL because our environment is so harsh!)

Sincerely,
Debra, homeschooling mom of 4

http://babyproducts.about.com/b/2006...ats-expire.htm

"...yes, car seats do expire. In fact, most car seats have an expiration date on one of the manufacturer labels that can be found on the sides or bottom of the car seat. To find out if a car seat is expired, you should look for that expiration date label first..."

"...If there's no expiration date listed, use the date of manufacture and consult the car seat owners' manual. Many manufacturers give a maximum car seat life in the manual. If not, call the manufacturer and ask..."

"...A few car seat manufacturers allow 10 years of life for their car seats, but unless you have specific directions from the manufacturer, the car seat label or the manual that state otherwise, you should stop using a car seat after 6 years..."
i dont know of any 10 year expiration dates....what seat do you have? there is an expiration on ALL seats.
 
#12 ·
I totally get the reasoning behind not reusing a car seat, but why can't the plastic and/or foam be recycled into something else, instead of the seat going into a land fill? It just seems like that's a HUGE amount of waste ending up in landfills when they can potentially be recycled. I know- the energy costs of recycling often negate the benefit of recycling, but in this case, to prevent such a large number of such bulky objects from entering a landfill would seem to justify the energy cost (?).
 
#13 ·
: Looking for recycling options.
 
#14 ·
im a HUGE environmentalist (above everything else i do that is in line w/ this board) but unfortunately, i think the fact that the plastic breaks down and is unsafe to use is why the car seat manuf's dont recycle them. could they be used to recycle into something else? more than likely...but someone would have to intiate such a program and until they do, i dont think car seats are the biggest issue for landfills (considering they are used for approx. 6 years).
 
#15 ·
but there is a DATE OF MANUFACTURE on it.

I went out and bought a new booster seat and it has both dates on it. I think in 2002 they didn't include the date of expiration.

Of course I can add 6 to the date to get the date of expiration but it was not preprinted for my convenience.

I googled and googled but couldn't find any carseat that advertises it lasts 10 years. My youngest is 5 so I don't need one that would last that long but I was curious to know. I couldn't find that information. I just found places that mentioned some carseats last ten years in a general information paragraph not a specific brand.
 
#16 ·
there is one car seat that lasts 9 years (the Frontier) but that just came out.

each manufacturer is different. if you dont have the manual, you can call the manufacturer and ask what the life span of the car seat is and then go by the DOM to determine expiration. I agree that it should be clearly stated.
 
#17 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by PassionateWriter View Post
i WISH ppl were obsessed about car seats here...there may be laws but the majority of seats are being used improperly.

Or not at all!
: Where I live most of the kids I see in cars are either buckled in improperly(not in a booster I might add) or NOT AT ALL! This makes me so angry!
:
 
#20 ·
Interesting thread. I have been debating with myself whether it is worth the expense of buying one of the new 3-in-1 seats for the baby when i know I can get all "3" for less second hand. I think this is one purchase I'm just going to splurge on - sounds like at least that way I'll get my 6 years out of it.

Maybe by then they'll be recyclable.
 
#21 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by lifeguard View Post
Interesting thread. I have been debating with myself whether it is worth the expense of buying one of the new 3-in-1 seats for the baby when i know I can get all "3" for less second hand. I think this is one purchase I'm just going to splurge on - sounds like at least that way I'll get my 6 years out of it.

Maybe by then they'll be recyclable.
3 in 1 seats are actually an awful choice. They will NOT last you as long as they say. No way you'll get an appropriately safe 6 years out of one.

-Angela
 
#22 ·
ITA with Angela about the three in ones. I really wouldn't buy a second hand seat unless you're getting it from someone you know, so that you know it was treated properly (not washing the straps, etc) and hasn't been in an accident or expired.

Didn't there used to be a FP that had a 10 year life span? IIRC the last of those should be expiring soon though, if not already.
 
#23 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by lifeguard View Post
Interesting thread. I have been debating with myself whether it is worth the expense of buying one of the new 3-in-1 seats for the baby when i know I can get all "3" for less second hand. I think this is one purchase I'm just going to splurge on - sounds like at least that way I'll get my 6 years out of it.

Maybe by then they'll be recyclable.
see, thats exactly how i look at it. i try to purchase everything used (clothing for kids, cars, i am a huge environmentalist) but when it comes to car seats and safety, its more about keeping my child safe than it is about the environment...and yes, that is the ONE thing that trumps it all for me. My "new" MacBook that i just got for my birthday last month was actually a recycled one also...works great....not going to affect my safety.


we purchase a lot of things NEW instead of used....if you sit back and think about it. most ppl (us included) purchase new appliances (old appliance would work just as well in many cases)..there are tons of examples..NONE of which put your child at risk but car seats are another deal and I feel its an area where the environmentalist in me has to step aside (i WILL make it up in other ways).

alot of kids will fit into a convertible car seat (some wont but if not, many ppl can borrow an infant seat for 1-2 months from someone they KNOW WELL and that isnt expired). if you purchase a convertible to RF to 35 lbs and then purchase something like the Frontier, you've only purchased 2 seats in the life of the child (assume child FF at 3 or 4 years old, depending on age..i hope my son makes it to 4).....the Frontier will last until 11 (as a booster after they outgrow the harness).
 
#24 ·
All I know is, the fact that you aren't supposed to hand down carseats to someone else is a *huge* boon for the carseat manufacturing companies - everyone who has a child has to buy 2 or 3 of them, new.

I think it is Ok to hand them down if it's within the 6 years, and if it's a relative or close friend that you trust when they tell you it hasn't been in an accident

Of course the easy way around it would be to assign each carseat a number like the VIN number for cars (Vehicle Identification Number, right) so that it could be tracked which carseats have indeed been involved in accidents. And then only those are the ones that have been would be taken out of circulation/illegal to sell or give away. You could even have the insurance companies who are dealing w/ the car accident take the seat and destroy it/recycle the parts.

Very few carseats on the whole have been involved in accidents, so this would drastically reduce the number of carseats in landfills. But it would also reduce the number of carseats bought so a lot of companies would be against that.

don't you think I'm right to have this good idea?
maybe I'll start a non-profit and lobby for it...
 
#25 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by traceface View Post
All I know is, the fact that you aren't supposed to hand down carseats to someone else is a *huge* boon for the carseat manufacturing companies - everyone who has a child has to buy 2 or 3 of them, new.

I think it is Ok to hand them down if it's within the 6 years, and if it's a relative or close friend that you trust when they tell you it hasn't been in an accident

Of course the easy way around it would be to assign each carseat a number like the VIN number for cars (Vehicle Identification Number, right) so that it could be tracked which carseats have indeed been involved in accidents. And then only those are the ones that have been would be taken out of circulation/illegal to sell or give away. You could even have the insurance companies who are dealing w/ the car accident take the seat and destroy it/recycle the parts.

Very few carseats on the whole have been involved in accidents, so this would drastically reduce the number of carseats in landfills. But it would also reduce the number of carseats bought so a lot of companies would be against that.

don't you think I'm right to have this good idea?
maybe I'll start a non-profit and lobby for it... :grin
i absolutely agree that its ok to accept a non expired car seat from a friend or relative that can assure you its not been in an accident.

i also think the VIN is a good idea.

the thing is that when insurance co's replace car seats, they do take the old seats (we just went through this earlier this year)...so those seats arent in circulation. the ones that are (potentially) have been in accidents where ppl didnt know to call the insurance co. and have the seat replaced (my ex was like that until i put my foot down and told him absolutely not to using that seat again). so those "minor" accidents that may have caused stress to the seat and were technically supposed to be replaced may still be in circulation w/o anyone knowing (b/c friend #1 didnt consider the accident major enough to affect the seat and then gave/sold it to a friend/relative/neighbor/stranger who later gave it to someone else, etc. etc.).

like mentioned below though, you dont have to purchase more than 2 seats usually.....my kids are so large at birth, they fit in the britax convertibles....so they have one of those seats until 65 lbs. At that point, they could legally go into a booster; however, i dont really look at whats legal....i look at whats safe and so i will purchase a Frontier, which has a 9 year expiration and converts to a booster....for us, then its a BV then a Frontier and thats it. Most ppl do know a friend with a bucket seat so if one wished, they could just borrow a bucket for a few months until their kid was ready for a convertible.
 
#26 ·
My dd and her friend recycled theirs into toddler video loungers . . . .does that count. they would chill out in them for hours while watching movies.


Here we can recycle the plastic if there is nothing else on it.
 
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