SeatSmart | Recycling Programme

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Don't dump your damaged or expired child car seat. Recycle with SeatSmart!
Read on to find out how...
We have collection sites located from Auckland to Dunedin.
Find out where...
We can recycle up to 75% of child car seat materials!
Find out more...

SeatSmart

Child Car Seat

Recycling

Imagine 100,000 car seats sitting end to end…

They would stretch from Auckland’s CBD to Pukekohe. That’s the minimum number of car seats that expire every year in New Zealand.

Don’t let your expired or damaged car seat end up in landfill or be sold.

Our Programme

Locations

Find your nearest collection site and check what recycling fee applies

Locations

Expiry Dates

How to read the expiry date or date of manufacture on your seat

Find out more

Insurance

Do you have a car seat claim with an IAG company (AMI, State, NZI…)?

Insurance Claims

Reasons to recycle

Why recycle your car seat?

There are lots positive environmental and social outcomes from recycling your seat: – Diverting tonnes of plastic and metal from landfill each year; – Providing dismantling work for people who have a disability, or are disadvantage or marginalised; – Improving child safety by raising awareness of seat expiry dates; – Lowering the use of virgin materials to make new plastic and metal; and – Providing used materials to be repurposed into new items.

Who dismantles your seats?

We aim to maximise the social benefit of recycling through our dismantling process. Due to the volumes and the growing complexity of the seats we get through the programme, a mix of dismantling services are required: – 3R Group – 3R are the founders and operators of SeatSmart. Our staff regularly do the ‘heavy lifting’ on the dismantling (using power tools, etc.); and – Social Enterprises – paid and unpaid services that provide employment or work experience for people who have a disability or are disadvantaged or marginalised.

The nitty gritty

Is there a cost to recycle?

Fees vary across the country thanks to support from some local councils and retailers. These fees range from $0 (free) to $35 per seat and cover the costs of collection, dismantling and recycling.

Fees are charged per seat at the collection site, so check out your local site.

Insurance – there are no fees for IAG referrals (AMI, State, etc).

Check fee in your area

What seats are accepted?

Any brand of booster, convertible seat or capsule. Sorry, no polystyrene seats, snap and go’s or other car seat accessories are accepted.

Collection sites have the right to reject mouldy seats as these can contaminate other seats and are a potential health risk.

Collection sites

What materials are in the seats?

Up to 67% of seat materials (by weight) are recyclable.

Plastic, metal, harnesses – they can all have a second life.

What happens to them?

Should I consider a second-hand car seat?

The issue of using a second-hand car seat is a tricky one. We found some useful information from NZTA which can help if you are considering buying or borrowing one.

NZTA advice on second-hand seats

News and Views

latest SeatSmart news

Napier council offers subsidy to recycle child car seats

Napier residents can now recycle their expired or damaged child car seats at a discounted rate thanks to a partnership between the city council, Baby on the Move and SeatSmart. A Napier City Council subsidy means recycling through the SeatSmart programme will cost $10 per seat. The collection site is at Baby on the Move […]