Latest Info on Walmart’s Car Seat Recycling Event
Walmart‘s car seat trade-in event was a total blow out last year!
And while there hasn’t been any buzz yet on whether they’ll do it again in 2020, we think that since it was such a hit that it will likely come around again this year!
What is the Car Seat Recycling Event?
Walmart teamed up with TerraCycle, a global leading company in recycling hard-to-recycle materials, to collect unused or expired car seats. In exchange, participants were given a free $30 Walmart gift card.
All car seats collected in this program were recycled through TerraCycle, and according to their company, last year alone, they diverted over 200+ million plastic bottles from landfills during this shortened event.
Here are the Walmart Car Seat Recycling Event rules from last year:
- Grab a car seat that has expired or that your kiddo has outgrown and bring it to the trade-in event at your participating Walmart Supercenter (not available at Walmart Neighborhood Market locations).
- Take the car seat to the Customer Service counter to be recycled.
- Receive a FREE $30 Walmart gift card
- Car seats collected will then be recycled 100% by TerraCycle and each component will be diverted from the landfill
Note that there is a limit of two trade-ins and gift cards per household and booster seats are not eligible for trade-in.
When do you think it will happen in 2020?
Last year, the Car Seat Trade-Event ran during September, which is National Baby Safety Month. So if they host this event in 2020, we are expecting it to start sometime in September again.
That said, the event was so successful last year that they closed it after less than a week, so as to when (and how long) this event will be going on – we’re not sure… just yet.
Here are two easy ways to score free baby goodies right now!
This has caused a rise in car seat theft in our area. 🙄
I saw a post on Facebook about this earlier- that is SO incredibly sad and sickening
Oh my goodness… that’s insane!
Same in my sister’s neighborhood. They have a 1 y/o and have been bringing their seats inside at night. People are ridiculous
I just saw that in a Facebook group for my area… cars being broken into and seats being stolen!!! Can’t believe druggies can figure out how to detach them, I can barely do it 😂
Seriously…and they’re heavy!
Some pictures show that they cut the seatbelts.
They must be pretty stupid to commit such a serious crime for a $30 giftcard. I mean people sell nice used car seats for about as much or more. Wal-Mart checks ID and has surveilence. I hope the bad guys get caught. Should be pretty easy… And some people spend a lot on their car seat so it is pretty serious. The last carseat we bought was $350. People have been prosecuted for a lot less. Plus with the added window breaking and such… A felony for a $30 gift card. Pathetic people.
can’t agree more.
Really hope bad guys get caught too !!
And a raise in safety seats sales for Walmart ( cha- Chen) they dried up the market
So we can still take it IN tomorrow the 21 correct?
Yes, Mom Of 3! As long as you take it in by tomorrow, you should be able to redeem the offer.
Did it today- easy!
I went tonight, very quick and easy.
Glad you were able to get it, Nicole!
My local Walmart said that this event ends the 30th. I asked them to clarify… I think I’m going to go with the 21st just to be safe.
Hi Lisa! Originally, this offer was set to end on September 30th. But Walmart is ending it early due to the overwhelming response. If you click through to Walmart’s website above, you can see they’ve also updated the dates in the banner to show Sept. 16 – 21. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the heads up, K!
Guess I know what I’m doing tmrw! 😁
Does anyone know if they’ll accept a Britax Frontier 85? It’s a harness-2-booster car seat.
To be honest, they don’t really care. If it looks like a carseat your good
I Just took two of those in this evening. Cow Mooflage pattern. I had them in harness mode. Not sure if that matters. I also had them at the lowest setting to make sure they looked smaller and not like a booster. I don’t think it mattered, but, after some other comments I had read earlier i the week, some stores may be picky. You should be fine and it was very quick and easy. Customer service said it was until the 30th. They had not heard about it ending sooner. I did not want to chance it.
FYI if they do it again this year and you need to trade seats in, it’s only the boosters without harness that they don’t take. And Target takes them all but you only get a 15% off coupon I believe
Nooooo!!! I hAve 2 to turn in but I’ll be out of town this wknd. Darnit. I knew I should have done it already 🙁
Thanks for the heads up. I have a carseat to get rid of.
You are welcome, Marcus!
I was very thankful to find a car seat sitting by a dumpster. It was super easy to trade-in, and I was able to stock up on my cat’s favorite kitty litter!
Does anyone know how household is defined or verified?
They use your photo ID so I believe technically they can only track that way
Be aware—People have been stealing car seats out of cars to take advantage of this offer. 😡
Do they accept high back booster car seats?
No boosters are not part Of the deal
Thank you
My high back booster was one of the cheap cosco brand with the five point harness. As long as it has the harness, that’s what makes the difference.
I just took my high back booster and they took mine. If you have one close, it’s worth a shot.
Car seats must have harnesses to be turned in. The high back booster’s without straps you cannot return.
Mine had a harness but we took it out and now I don’t know where it went. Do you think they’ll take it?
Just wanted to say thank you to hiptosave…I happily got rid of mine right away and would not have known otherwise. The extra money really helped this stay at home mama! Thank you, thank you!!
You’re most welcome, tracey! We’re so happy you were able to snag the gift card!
Does anyone know if the accept bases?
They do not, Monica.
My store did take the base for recycling however I only got a gift card for the seat itself.
Thanks for the clarification, Jenn!
We brought ours in today. Huge stack of seats! Customer Service was not happy! Limit 2 per person.
Thank you! Sent my husband with 2 old carseats we’ve had forever, was just thankful to get rid of them knowing they would be recycled, the gift cards were a major bonus. He texted back and said, “that was easy.”
Yay! That’s great to hear, Barb!
Our Walmart refused to take them today. Better believe we’ll be writing to corporate.
Had a horrible experience at the San Leandro, CA Walmart. They said that my 5 point harness Graco carseat was a ‘booster seat’ and pointed at the the infant seats that can be carried and said that only those qualify. Pathetic.
*Wanted to add- all straps were intact.
Just turned in two and received $60 gift card. One was a high back booster seat with the five point harness. Only accepting until customer service closes. Now what else can I get out of my attic? Thanks hip2save.
You are welcome, V!
I finally got thru via phone to my local Walmart to make sure they were participating, the clerk says yes we are until 10pm. That seemed inaccurate so I told her I’m on my way, this was at 630pm got there in 10 min and was told they stopped at 3pm AND I didn’t have an INFANT seat so no gift card anyway! Poor customer service, poor training and poor management . The manager was stopped by 4 other customers before getting to me so I just got his name and will call corporate on Monday. 😞
I went in yesterday a little before 8pm and they wouldn’t let me go to customer service said they close customer service at 8pm
Can I trade in today
Hi Elanie! This offer has ended, however we’ll be sure to keep an eye out if any other similar offers pop up!
Well some one took it wrong in my area and took my Car Seats literally SMH
Customer service at the Walmart near me said they are not doing this program because of CoVID. Is this only by participating location? Or every Walmart should have this program? None of you guys has said they won’t take it due to the pandemic.
Hi Jen! It looks like this event will not take place at Walmart this year, however you can trade in over at Target –> https://hip2save.com/tips/target-car-seat-trade-in/ Hope this helps!
Does anyone know if they are planning on doing the trade in event for 2021? I have 2 car seats I would love to get rid of but will hang onto them if I can recycled/ get a gift card for them.
Is Wal-Mart offering this program in 2021?
We’ll keep an eye out for this, Melanie! 🧐