Car seats recycling project keeps waste from the landfill

Western Bay of Plenty District Council recovery and waste team leader Ilze Kruis.

Much-loved and used car seats, boosters and capsules will get a second lease on life thanks to a collaborative effort with the Western Bay community.

Over the past two weekends, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and SeatSmart have been offering the chance to drop off old car seats to be recycled for free at the Te Puke and Katikati Recycling Centres, and 76 car seats, boosters or capsules were collected.

The council’s resource recovery and waste team leader Ilze Kruis was delighted to see such a large number of expired and damaged child restraints of every type, brand and size taken away by SeatSmart for dismantling and recycling.

“Most people are unaware that car seats have a limited lifespan, with around 100,000 expiring annually in Aotearoa.

“But the good news is that around 67 per cent of a car seat’s materials by weight are recyclable – things like plastic, metal and harnesses can all have a second life.”

She said the council was committed to decreasing the number of unnecessary resources sent to landfill, and this was one way of doing that while also helping the community to clear out unwanted items from their homes.

To support initiatives like SeatSmart, the council was required to have a Waste Management and Minimisation Plan that sets a six-year action plan to guide waste activities. Next month it would be seeking community feedback to make sure it has the right plan in place to support the community and reduce waste.

Those who missed the free recycling events can still take the seats to Baby on the Move at 435 Cameron Rd, Tauranga, where they can be recycled for a reduced fee of $10 a seat thanks to funding from the council’s waste minimisation levy.

Any brand of booster, convertible seat or capsule was accepted, but polystyrene or mouldy seats or other accessories cannot be recycled.

For more information about the SeatSmart child seat recycling programme, check out its website.