Imagine 100,000 child’s car seats sitting end to end… They would stretch from Auckland’s CBD to Pukekohe. That’s the minimum number of car seats that expire every year in New Zealand. Seat Smart was established by Sustainability Experts 3R Group, when a 3R Group staff member was advised that disposal was the only option for her expired children’s car seat. She was disappointed, feeling that landfill should be the last resort for recycling for these seats, not the only available option. So, she took the issue to her colleagues at 3R and they decided that they could change the outcome. Thanks to those discussions the SeatSmart project was launched. Today the programme is run by Keep New Zealand Beautiful. SeatSmart charges a recycling fee to cover the transport and dismantling of the seats. The cost varies depending if there is a subsidy in place in your area. For further information, or to find your nearest Seat Smart collection site just visit the seatsmart.co.nz website.
