Car seat recycling
Te Aro Zero Waste is a central Wellington drop-off point for the SeatSmart Child Seat Recycling programme.
The SeatSmart Car Seat Recycling programme is a national initiative to divert expired car seats from landfill. Drop your expired or damaged car seat off to us to be recycled.
Got an expired or damaged car seat? Drop it off to us.
Don’t let your unsafe expired or damaged car seat end up in landfill or sold. We collect seats to recover resources and keep tamariki safe.
What we can take for SeatSmart:
✔️ Any brand of booster, convertible seat or capsule.
What we can’t take:
❌ Polystyrene seats, strollers or other car seat accessories.
Please note that there is a $35 fee per car seat. This fee covers the costs of collection, dismantling and recycling—allowing the programme to be sustainable and self-funding.
Why recycle car seats?
Approximately 100,000 car seats expire in NZ every year. Recycling your car seat diverts tonnes of plastic and metal from landfill, so they can be repurposed instead. The programme also aims to raise awareness of car seat expiry dates, increasing road safety for Kiwi kids.
What happens to the materials?
The seats are dismantled by 3R Group (operators of SeatSmart) and Social Enterprises; providing employment and work experience for people who have a disability or are disadvantaged or marginalised.
The plastic is processed and recycled into products such as building materials. Metal parts are taken to metal recyclers, and the harnesses are used in the production of recycled bags.
For more information, head to: www.seatsmart.co.nz/