Dive Brief:
- California has recently become the second state to implement the Mattress Recycling Council (MRC)'s Bye Bye Mattress program, a free recycling program for used mattresses and box springs. Currently, Connecticut also participates in the program. Rhode Island is expected to launch the program later this year.
- Since Dec. 30, 2015, each mattress and box spring sold in California will include a $11 fee. This fee will allow residents to later drop-off their old mattress at no cost at participating collection sites.
- There are currently 40 solid waste facilities in the state that have signed up for the Bye Bye Mattress program. In addition to these facilities, the MRC is working with other entities such as hotels and universities to divert mattresses from the landfill.
Dive Insight:
More than 80% of a used mattress' components can be recycled, including the steel springs, foam, wooden frames, and cotton fibers, according to the Mattress Recycling Council. However, without mattress recycling programs, more than 50,000 mattresses are sent to U.S. landfills each day.
"We developed California’s program to increase the recycling of used mattress materials by leveraging the existing waste collection infrastructure," said MRC President Ryan Trainer. He explained that the mattress recycling program is "a cost-effective solution to a long-term problem," according to the Victorville Daily Press.
Although this Bye Bye Mattress program is only currently implemented in two states, many states across the country are working to keep these mattresses out of landfills. In August 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) offered $500,000 in grants to help cities and towns launch mattress recycling programs. Minnesota considered a statewide mattress recycling program in Nov. 2014, however it has not yet been executed.
"Even if you aren’t parting with your mattress right now, a mattress doesn’t last forever, and will eventually be discarded," reads the Bye Bye Mattress website. "The program uses a network of participating cities, towns, retailers, recyclers and other organizations that you may rely on when the time comes to properly dispose of your old mattress."
