Target, Walmart offer incentives for recycling seat

Target and Walmart are offering dueling incentives to keep car seats out of landfills.

In September, which is National Baby Safety Month, the two retailers are holding in-store trade-in events to recycle the old car seats.

Target’s trade-in event returns Sept. 3 and through Sept. 13. Get a 20% coupon on select baby gear in exchange for an old car seat.

On Sept. 16, Walmart kicks off its first car seat recycling event at nearly 4,000 stores. Through Sept. 30, for trading in used car seats, get a $30 gift card “that can be used in store or online to buy items for their baby,” Walmart said in a news release.

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Melody Richards, Walmart Baby vice president, said in a statement, that safety is a top priority for the retailer’s baby department.

“We wanted to use our size and scale to create an event that offered unprecedented access to trade in an outgrown car seat for a gift card – perfect for using on your baby’s next car seat,” Richards said.

Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle, the company that will be recycling car seats collected at Walmart, said that through the event they “expect to divert the plastic equivalent of approximately 35 million water bottles from landfills.”

Since Target introduced its first car seat trade-in program in April 2016, half a million car seats and more than 11.9 million pounds of materials have been recycled.

Target’s trade-in event

• Take your old car seat to Target’s Guest Services and place it in the drop-off box from Sept. 3 to 13.
• Target stores will accept and recycle all infant car seats, including infant seats, convertible seats, car seat bases, harness or booster car seats. The materials will be recycled by Waste Management.
• In exchange, Target will give a 20% off coupon to use in-store and online through Sept. 14.
• The coupon can be used on baby gear, including a new car seat, car seat base, travel system, stroller or select baby home gear, such as playards, high chairs, swings, rockers and bouncers.
• Learn more at Target’s corporate website.

Walmart car seat recycling event

• Walmart’s event is from Sept. 16-30 and all car seat brands will be accepted. All car seats collected will be recycled through TerraCycle.
• Bring your car seat to the Customer Service counter during the recycling events at participating Walmart stores. On Walmart.com, find the closest location by searching by ZIP code.
• In exchange, get a $30 Walmart gift card that “you can use in-store or online to buy items for your baby.”
• There’s a limit of two trade-ins per household and booster seats are not eligible for trade in.
• Learn more and find locations at www.walmart.com/AboutBestOfBabyMonth.

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Follow Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko