Safety is always our top priority when rehoming items so here are some things to look out for before deciding whether to donate, give away or dispose of your old car seat.

📅 Date of Manufacture: The date of manufacture is stamped on the plastic shell or as sticker on the side, back or bottom of the carseat.  Current Australian Standards recommend car seats should only be used for 10 years from this date.  This is because the plastic shell, impact foam and other safety features can deteriorate after ten years.

We need car seats <8 years old to ensure families who receive them can use them safely for a few years.

💥 Accidents: We cannot take carseats that have been in an accident, even a small fender bender! These carseats should be disposed of as sometimes damage cannot be seen inside the carseat shell!  Don’t forget to cut the straps so no one else uses it by accident!

🦠 Mould and other damage: we cannot rehome these seats.  Mould is near impossible to kill and impacts the structural integrity of the harness and anchor straps!

🔥 Damaged covers: car seat covers in Australia are made with flame-retardant materials. This is why it’s important not to modify or repair car seat covers!

🇦🇺 Australian Car Seats only. We can only rehome seats that meet Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1754. Look for a red and white label on the carseat shell.  Car seats purchased overseas may not meet Australian standards.

What to do with a damaged car seat?

There is currently no car seat recycling in the ACT so if your car seat is over 10 years old and / or is damaged – please cut the straps and take it to the resource management centres for disposal (or book a free annual kerbside pickup)

For more information – refer to https://carseatssavelives.com.au/