What to do with unwanted/used/possibly outdated or defective car seat?

LunaBug924 · December 2014

Quick back story: MIL is the epitome of thrifty (not to mention, cheap). She's the person who pulls over to grab free stuff off the curb, even if she has no use for it, because "someone can use it". So, while I was pregnant, she was under the delusion that she'd be driving DD everywhere in her car and wanted her own car seat. A friend of a friend of hers gave her one, used of course, with no manual or manufacturer info. It's Graco, I just don't know what model. It then sat out on her porch (she has a tiny apartment and no room to store stuff inside) and got rained and snowed on, and left out all summer in the heat. Needless to say, the padding is shot. I wouldn't trust the integrity of the straps, and some animal came and chewed on the styrofoam backing. Still, MIL thinks we can just call the manufacturer for new padding and still use it. Hell.To.The.No.

So now it's sitting at my house and I have no clue what to do with it. I don't want to put it out with my garbage on the off-chance that someone else will take it and try to use it. I also generally hate the idea of items like this sitting in a landfill somewhere. Is there such a thing a recycling car seats? WWYD?

Junebug060609 · December 2014

aimeefarrahfowler said:
I think the recommendation is to throw out the padding and cover separately from the seat shell and to cut the straps so it in unusable.

And then go buy your MIL the $50 Cosco seat from Target.

This. Deface the hell out of it, especially the straps. Throw it out separately.

Or you could trade it in at BRU (I'd still deface it so there is no chance of reuse)

Meg&Austin · December 2014

On car seats for the littles on Facebook they would tell you to cut the straps remove the cover and write all over the car seat and base that it is not useable. Some go so far as to best it with say a bat or golf club to make sure someone doesn't use a faulty car seat.