Where to recycle expired car seats in Metro Vancouver

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Of all the baby gear a family uses, a car seat is likely the one item that gets the most day-to-day use.

It carried your baby home from the hospital, and then off to the first day of daycare. A few years later, a booster seat may have taken them to soccer practice or picked them up from a sleepover.

It’s been cleaned of crumbs and sand, it’s been adjusted a few times as your child grows, and before you know it — it’s time to say farewell.

So what should you do next with a car seat once you’re done with it?

Here’s a few things to know before you donate, sell or gift the car seat, and where you can recycle or dispose of it in Metro Vancouver.

Can I give away, sell or donate my car seat?

If the car seat is not expired or recalled, hasn’t been in an accident, and you’d like to give it away or sell it, be sure you still have the original manual, that all parts are in safe working order, and that it meets current safety requirements.

In fact, it’s actually illegal in Canada to sell, give away, loan or donate a car seat that does not meet current safety regulations — that includes second-hand car seats and those manufactured before Jan. 1, 2012.

If your car seat meets all those requirements, then yes, you can consider giving it away, selling or donating a car seat once you’re done using it.

Can I recycle my expired car seat?

First things first: if the car seat is expired, be sure to cut the straps, remove the fabric and foam, and write “EXPIRED — DO NOT USE” on the shell. This will prevent the car seat from being used unsafely if it ends up in the wrong place or unknowingly passed along to another family.

B.C. currently does not have any sort of provincially regulated program for recycling car seats.

Instead, each part of the car seat must be recycled according to the material type. If you’re able to separate the different materials yourself (fabric, foam, metal, plastic, etc.), you can then recycle each type of material at your local depot.

Some municipalities and recycling depots have set up programs for accepting fully assembled car seats but they do charge a fee, which covers the cost and labour of dismantling, storing and recycling the car seat parts properly.

Where can I recycle or dispose of my expired car seat in Metro Vancouver?

Check with your municipality to see if there are any community zero waste recycling events coming up where you might be able to drop off a car seat. Be sure to check in advance whether they’ll take car seats, either free or for a fee, before you make your way there.

Otherwise, you might consider one of these options for recycling a car seat in Metro Vancouver. Listed in alphabetical order.

Abbotsford: GFL Environment (Alpine Valley)

Address: 34613 Vye Rd., Abbotsford
Phone: 604-854-0095
Hours: Daily from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed on Sundays
Price: $38

GFL Environment’s Abbotsford depot will accept expired car seats but keep in mind they do not recycle car seats; this depot is strictly for disposal. The minimum disposal fee is $38 for up to 90 kilograms of waste, so if you’ve got other items you need to get rid of, it might be ideal to gather up a few things to make the fee worthwhile.

Burnaby: Reclaim Plastics

Address: 8321 Willard St., Burnaby
Phone: 604-549-6880
Hours: Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $22

Reclaim Plastics in Burnaby will take old car seats for recycling with a $22 fee (as of March 2025). Because their depot isn’t set up with a public entrance and is located in an industrial area, car seat drop off is by appointment only, though usually a phone call 30 minutes before arrival will suffice.

Coquitlam: United Boulevard Recycling and Waste Centre

Address: 995 United Blvd., Coquitlam
Phone: 604-681-5600
Hours: Vary, check website for seasonal operating hours.
Cost: Tipping fee applies

Coquitlam’s United Boulevard Recycling and Waste Centre accepts car seats for disposal as part of their waste disposal stream but there is no recycling option at this location. Keep in mind there is a fee for dumping at the centre, so you may be better off collecting a larger load of things to be dumped before heading over there.

Langley: Large Item Pickup Program

Phone: 604-530-3939
Cost: Free

The Township of Langley operates a large item pickup program that allows residents who receive municipal garbage collection to schedule up to four large items picked up for disposal, for free each year. Among the items accepted by the program? Car seats! You can book your pickup online here.

New Westminster: Queensborough Landing Return-It Depot

Address: 409 Boyne St., New Westminster
Phone: 604-540-4467
Hours: Monday to Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays until 4 p.m.
Cost: $20

The Queensborough Landing Return-It Depot accepts fully assembled car seats for a fee of $20 each. They’ll take care of separating the different parts and recycling them properly. Other children’s items they’ll accept and recycle, also for a fee, include booster seats, high chairs, playpens, strollers and cribs.

North Vancouver: Waste Control Services

Address: 1493 Dominion St., North Vancouver
Phone: 604-987-1493
Hours: Monday to Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $10

Waste Control Services will accept infant, convertible or booster car seats for recycling from the public, for a fee of $10 per car seat. If possible, please remove any fabric pieces before dropping off. Waste Control Services will ensure the car seat shell is recycled with a local material recovery facility.

Port Coquitlam: Keep It Green Recycling

Address: Unit 110 — 1772 Broadway St., Port Coquitlam
Phone: 604-341-6495
Hours: Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $15

Port Coquitlam’s Keep In Green Recycling will accept car seats for recycling with a $15 fee. There’s no need to schedule a time to drop off, just come by any time during operating hours and they’ll look after breaking down the car seat materials.

Richmond: Richmond Recycling Depot

NOTE: This option is for Richmond residents only as it is a resident tax payer-subsidized program.

Address: 5555 Lynas Lane, Richmond
Phone: 604-276-4010
Hours: Daily from 9 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Cost: Free

Richmond’s city-operated recycling depot accepts car seats for recycling and the good news is that you don’t have to dismantle it and there’s no fee. Just drop it off to the area designated for ‘Upholstered Furniture’. Keep in mind that recycling a car seat through Richmond’s depot is limited to Richmond residents only, as it is a resident tax payer-subsidized program so be prepared to show proof of residence.

Surrey: Large Item Pickup Program

Phone: 604-590-7289 ext. 3
Cost: Free

For those who live in Surrey and receive city waste services, you’ll be happy to know the city’s large item pickup program accepts car seats for disposal, for free. Households can schedule pickup for up to six items per year (or eight, if you’re a household with a secondary suite), while apartments and stratified buildings can schedule for up to four items per year. You can schedule your pickup online or by calling the city at 604-590-7289.

Vancouver: United We Can Bottle Depot

Address: 449 Industrial Ave., Vancouver
Phone: 604-681-0001
Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: $22, debit or credit card only

Vancouver’s United We Can Bottle Depot will accept old and expired car seats for recycling, with a fee of $22 to cover the cost of dismantling the materials. Note that the recycling fee for car seats can only be paid by debit or credit card, not cash.

sip@postmedia.com