Sadly, your car seat has become a go in the trash item. unless your municipality has a good recyclying program. Its important that its not used again as intended.

It seems like a horrible waste to me as well, but as knowledge and research advance, the safety designs of car seats improve.

Generally they "expire" 8 to 10 years after they manufactured.

And they end up in the dump.

Target has a program where you can trade an old one in and get so much off of a new one. That's about as close to recycling as it comes as far as I know.

What does Target do with the one you turn in? Trash it no doubt. A car seat can never be sold as it's provenance is not guaranteed. It may have been in an accident...which makes it unworthy. Technology moves forward and pretty much anything we played with, equipment used, slept in, ate out of, SURVIVED is no longer deemed safe. Everything needs to be idiot proofed for the parents who will not take the time to know what they are doing. Plastic will never last, particularly in extreme temperatures. I am surprised the one in the closet hasn't begin disintegrating.

Do not give it away if something would happen you would probably feel guilty which you do not need. If it has a metal frame remove everything that you can to put in trash and recycle the frame.

"Technology moves forward and pretty much anything we played with, equipment used, slept in, ate out of, SURVIVED is no longer deemed safe."

You do realize that those who did not survive unsafe cribs, carseats, playground equipment, etc. are not here to talk about it?

I would never want to risk a child's life on the possibility that this thing is safe to use. What if it is not and you would not know until there was an accident and then it would be too late. Better safe than sorry. Dump.

Unfortunately we live in a throw away society now. And car seats cannot be recycled which is sad because it will be in the garbage dump for 1000 years now. Because yours is old and crumbling it is not safe at all for any child to use and you should not give it away or sell it. Carseats that have been in car accidents are supposed to be thrown out as well, which IMO is such a waste of good money: if it was built right why should it have to be tossed? Especially if there has been no damage, those things are expensive!

Old car seats can be dangerous and should be disposed in a way you can be sure it won't be reused.

Not too long ago, my wife's car was struck in the rear passenger door area in a parking lot. It was a low speed collision. She happened to have a car seat used for a grandchild in the car but it was unoccupied at the time.

The insurance company asked if there had been a child seat in the car and in response to the affirmative answer, told us we needed to dispose of the seat and buy a new one (at their cost). I think we gave the old one to Toys Are Us or wherever we bought the new one. Maybe the rule varies from place to place, or from insurance company to insurance company. Damage to a seat can lead to a malfunction and I guess for some, no risk is taken.

Car seats exposed to extreme temperatures can get tiny cracks in the plastic that you can’t even see, making them susceptible to breakage and failure during a crash.

There should be either a manufacture date or expiration date on the one that was stored in the closet - these dates are because the manufacturers use plastic in the construction that weakens over time, so that after so many years they supposedly won't hold up in a severe accident.

Trade in programs for old car seats actually do send them to a special company to recycle the seat materials. That is beyond the ability of regular trash recyclers - which is why they don't take them for recycling and just send them to the dump - I don't know why they don't partner with the company that can recycle them.

Since Target offers the trade in regularly I will post an expired car seat but clearly state that it is for trade in and not safe to use. I have also just taken them to Target (or Walmart when they offered the trade in) myself and foregone the discount coupon. I wish they would offer trade in weeks more often, but I suppose they have to get cooperation from the recycler and from the makers of the products that the discount is good for.

raee, as my experience shows, the experts sometimes view the safety of a car seat as depending on more than passage of time to an arbitrary "expiration date". I was asked if there was a seat in the car, not how old it was. It happened to be about 18 months old but it got tossed following their rules.

When I'm told to turn something in and replace it following a practice that must be widespread because it's imposed on a daily basis, what happens to what I've disposed of is their concern and out of my control.

Anyone interested in becoming a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technician? Great community service activity! (Disclaimer: DF is a lead instructor)

https://cert.safekids.org/become-tech

When asked why CPS technicians did it, here’s what they said.
“If I save just one life, I've done my job while here on earth! Children can't protect themselves. We have to take care of their future.” - A. Pinkerton“To save a life. Once you receive a call from a client crying, from the crash scene, thanking you for helping her make her children safe because they were just hit head on by a semi and the children walked away, you will understand why I do what I do.” - H. Harper-Berard“I am a CPS tech because every day I can make a difference in helping save the life of a child and the other occupants in the vehicle… I went to the CPST class kicking and screaming. I am so glad I persevered.” - J. Baker“It was a recent forced job requirement.... that turned into one of the best things that I've ever done! It is now my passion and I love every minute of this responsibility I am taking and providing to the community!!! Possibilities are endless!!!! - C. Jenewein“I am a CPS technician because I am a Public Health Nurse. While I am TEACHING families to keep their kids safe, I am ASSESSING other psychosocial needs and REFERRING to other services. Promote, Prevent, Protect. This is Public Health! And because I am a mom of 4 kids who feels that all kids deserve a chance to be safe. - C. Cherry

If you have an undamaged, not expired car seat that you simply no longer need, try calling your local women's shelters. Women often flee from violence without a car or a way to transport their children; sometimes transported to shelters by law enforcement, advocates, etc. They may have a need for car seats, as women put their lives back together.

The one that has been stored in teh closet in the house looks to be in perfect condition. What did the other one in was to keep it in a very hot attic.

I might see if Target wil take it. What a huge thing to throw away!!! And, there must be so very many of them, everywhere!!!! What a waste! It really seems like there could be a better way to go about this.

I suspect that there was a push from the industry to make a law mandating an expiration date and the need to replace after a fender bender. It keeps them in profits and who could argue with child safety?

There is usually a back story to these laws.

I serioulsy doubt that the body of the seat is any different from the day it was made. After all, this is a material that will still be on this earth long after humans have disappeared. It is not fragile.

What did go bad is a soft foam that looks like it got knocked by something, which is not surprising. The other element was the cheap lining fabric on the back of the seat cushion. That fabric has no bearing on any safety feature.

The straps are in perfect shape as are the fittings.

If I needed it I would not hesitate to use it.

So many of the things taht we just take for granted as our right to use and throw away are environmental hazards to dispose of. We dont think much about that when we are taking them out of the box with all the packaging. But, when it comes time to make it go away, there are few good venues for it, if at all.

This is insane. We need to do better. it may already be too late for exercising good sense.

That is one reason that I have become such an anti consumer. Our consuming practices are alarming and I dont think so much of what we consume and dispose of is worth the real cost.

Child safety is important, no argument there. But, I still think that we are being scammed and taken advantage of by the industry. The safety of our children is something that cant be compromised on, but there still could be a better way, maybe even a safer way.

Interesting article on recycling car seats, at Target and other places:

Recycling car seats

" According to the retailer, the old seats will be recycled and turned into items like plastic buckets, pallets, and carpet padding. The program, dubbed Target Circle has reportedly done this with 1,100,000 car seats, or more than 17 million pounds of plastic, since it began in 2016."

While we are on the subject, Best Buy will recycle a lot of electronics. And not just stuff you bought there. They have a list of what they will take on their website.

We can put electronics out for collection with our recycling. I’m sure that must be the case in some places in the USA.

“There is usually a back story to these laws.

I serioulsy doubt that the body of the seat is any different from the day it was made. After all, this is a material that will still be on this earth long after humans have disappeared. It is not fragile.”

car seats are usually kept in cars. the heat of a closed up car and UV rays break down plastic. That is a good reason for child car seats to have expiration dates.

As maddielee said, Plastics degrade due to temperature and UV, rendering the material more brittle. There are plenty of other areas we can reduce waste without the possibility of harming children as a byproduct. This is not a scam being perpetrated by carseat manufacturers. This is just how materials behave under stress.

Wednesday morning, you will have to hold on to the seat until Target or Walmart has another recycling "event". They don't take them year round. I think ToysRUs and BabysRUs used to but they are out of business. I don't know of any other retailers that take them.

Those seats are not just the molded plastic seat or even all the padding but are also the straps and buckles and it is those parts that can wear and break down and not keep the child in the seat during an accident. There are a lot of plasticy bits. There are lots of seats and lots of arrangements of buckles.

My county, I found, supposedly has an area where you can dispose of what they call "large plastics". You first have to strip the seat of all but the carcass.

I really do not think that the expiration date of these seats is purely due to safety. I am convinced that there is some manipulation from the industry. Child safety is an easy cover for so many things.

I dont argue with child safety, but I do think that safety is not the only factor here.

I really think that the time has come for those who produce such consumer products to be held accountable for dealing with the disposal of such.

I dont believe that an item like this that will not decompose, ever, is so overtly subject to degrading to such a level so quickly. I cant help but believe that the narrative surrounding this issue is much the narrative that is promoted by the industry. Maybe there is a grain of truth in the narrative, but not enough to make the difference taht they would have us believe. That happens often with many things that a mantra is evolved from a grain of truth.

This is planned obsolescense by the industry, to some extent. and all wrapped up in one of the most compelling issues to parents, the safety of children. No parent wants to accept even the hint of a threat to the child, as is the way it should be.

We could do better with these types of things, much better. But, we wont. I think that between mom and grandma that our grandson went through at least 6 seats from infant to booster seat. I bought for my car the same model that daughter bought for her car.

Those straps are made of really tough stuff, too. It will be around...........forever.

Gonna check Target but would not be surprised to find that they no longer are doing that. Maybe, maybe not.

Another hard thing to get rid of is all of the outdated electronics that almost all of us have. Best Buy has been where hubs has been taking them, little by little as they allow only a couple of items per drop off.

I agree that if we did not squander on so many uselss things that we could have more of an allowance for the more important things, such as child safety and the use and disposale of these car seats.

We had no car seats when my kids were growing up. I held them on my lap! That is unthinkable and against the law now, for good reaon. There were no baby seats back in the mid 70s. At least they were not available or required as they are today. Not saying that it was a good thing, just that it was that way.

So many things that we have to eventually get rid of are so problematic and harmful.

I am a bit surprised that car companies have not offered built in child seating as an option. Maybe the liability it too high.

I really think that the time has come for those who produce such consumer products to be held accountable for dealing with the disposal of such.

This I definitely agree with! Since recycling these seats obviously is feasible, then those companies should step up.

But unfortunately, from what I observe around here, a large number of consumers wouldn't bother to make the effort.

"I dont believe that an item like this that will not decompose, ever,"

How do you know that? And the problem with degrading slowly is that you don't know if a particularly vital part has degraded enough to fall apart under the pressure exerted by a vehicle accident. Same with the straps. Seat belts do deteriorate. The time to find out they have is not when you're in the middle of a car accident.

"I am a bit surprised that car companies have not offered built in child seating as an option."

Probably because children grow and then a custom built in seat becomes useless, and even worse, because the child may have to go into a different car seat but the space is already taken up by a built in, but unusable car seat. And if you want to sell the car, you're making it unattractive to those potential buyers who don't have children the right size for the seat/s.

Ihave stripped it of all I can and will try to take it to the county facility. I just want it gone.

Wednesday, I was born in 1968 and came home in a baby seat, though it was not a mandate, just what my parents thought was best.

How do we, any of us, really know the truth about what happens to this car seat over time? We know what we are told by those whose profits are rooted in the industry.

I am not advocating putting our children at risk, but let us not be naieve about how manipulative lobbyists can be for a consumer prouduct. Having anxious parents continuely buying new car seats is very profitable.

Singer sewing machine company started this back when they offered a trade in for your old machine when you bought a new one. The old machine was still good and they did not want you passing the machine down, so they collected them with trade in value and destroyed them. Amazingly , a number of them survived. This was an early marketing scheme.

Please dont paint me as someone who would put any child at risk. And, yes, I do realize that sewing machines are not saving the lives of children.

I am not advocating a cavalier attitude towards child safety. However, it is quite evident that one cant put total trust in any baby.child product . Just look at some of the recalls and law suites that have happened . Some awful things had to happen for some of these recalls to be enacted.

But, it would not be the first time that an industry got a law enacted to its benefit. That is what lobbyists do. A good example is the seat being renedered as unsafe after a minor accident that did not involve the seat.

As for the seat belts....we use the seat belts in our cars and dont give a though to the notion of them being in the hot car. Those things last forever....quite literally.

I saw an article in the media this morning about the state of Maine and the efforts to shift the resposiblity of disposal and recyle to the makers of the products that pose so many problems.

Maybe car seats need to be made in some other manner than they are currently or the producers need to be held accountable for providing a means of retiring the prouduct.

It is not child safety that I am questioning. However, the fleecing of the general public can be nowhere as strong as it can be when a parents fear is part of the equation. That is one of the most compelling marketing incentives that exists. I dont believe, for one minute, that the marketing gurus have not figured that out and used it fully to their advantage.

I shudder to think of the old way that kids rode in cars. We used to ride up in the back window when I was a kid. And, my kids had no car seats in the mid 70s. I am not saying it was as good thing . Clearly it was not safe at any speed.

But, this way of going about it is unsustainable. We need a better car seat. We need the industry to do better. Our children are going to have an awful environmental lot to deal with. Both their old car seat and their poopy diapers will still be sitting in a landfill long after their child hood has passed, along with all the old juice boxes and plastic straws and plastic pouches that once held some artificially flavored yougurt of dubious value other than the fact that it had a licensed character printed on it.

If it were just car seats that we are dealing with, that would be one thing. But, we are dealing with mountains and oceans full of waste of all manner.

I really do think that we could deal with the more important things, such as this, in a much more effective manner if we were not so burdened with such frivilous consumption as we are engaged in.

The whole world could live better with less.

I get where you're coming from, but you are assuming knowledge you don't have (how plastics deteriorate) and extrapolating one incident (the Singer sewing machines) to encompass all products.

I have had plastic bags saved in bundles in a larger plastic bag, and later opened the larger plastic bag to find that there is nothing but a pile of little flakes left, despite the bags being kept indoors out of the light. Plastics can deteriorate, they're all different, and no doubt there are different plastics used in the construction of baby seats, some of which deteriorate faster than others.

Seat belts do NOT "quite literally" last forever. Seat belts do wear and deteriorate over time, and it's quite common here for police to issue work orders on cars which have unsafe seat belts.

Car seats are designed to cushion the impact of even minor accidents by crumpling selectively in different areas so that the child's body is not slammed against an unyielding surface. This is why they need to be discarded after being involved in even a minor accident.

I too prefer to minimise waste, use things until they are on the verge of falling apart and recycle as much as possible, but sometimes you have to accept that you can't do this with everything.

If any are still reading this issue and are still interested for the sake of discussion, here is one voice I found interesting.

Apparently there are others that are questioning the whole sale destruction of seats past the date.

I know that one can search the internet and find proof of whatever it is that you are wanting to validate as being true. I realize that.

What emerges from several sources are a couple of interesting facts.

The first fact is that there is a lack of access to real evidence or willingness to share the evidence on the part of the industry. They call it propriatory information, meaning that they dont share it or make it public

And, secondly that laws against this are varied and do not really exist as we think that they do. According to some sources, the laws dont really exist at all. The major part of what we hear repeated are based on recommendations, from the industry.

They have been really succesful at getting the narrative shaped to fit their business model.

There may be much truth to both sides and much untruth, as well.

One thing that I was not able to find easily is data that supports the idea that an expired car seat was the culprit or was responsible for what happended in an accident. It likely does exist but it seems not an easy statistic to find.

One factor that is mentioned of using a handed down seat is that fact that the information about it may be missing after time and it might not be properly installed as a result.

Another mentioned the fact that there might be something spilled or sticky or corrosive spilled onto the seat buckles that keeps them from operating properly. That seems to be more of a matter of common sense and cleanliness .

Not questioning child safety and I would never put a child in a car without a safety seat or question the fact that they have been proven effective in their objective . Of course not!

.

But, that does not alter the fact that it may be possible that we are responding more to the manipulation of the industry rather than to real solid facts, information and truth.

https://www.marketplace.org/2019/11/14/is-there-any-data-that-says-secondhand-car-seats-arent-safe/