How To Dispose Of Mattresses
Can you recycle a mattress?
Ask your mattress retailer if they offer a recycling program or check out independent recycling options or contact Re-Matt, a local mattress recycler .
A mattress in good condition
Donate or drop-off a mattress at a charity. Some organizations accept mattresses in good condition for donation. Contact them to confirm.
Take your mattress to a City landfill. Landfill charges will apply.
Does The City of Calgary collect mattresses?
No. We do not collect large pieces of furniture like mattresses, box springs or futons.
Landfill locations listed below:
What Is A Mattress Recycling Program
A Mattress Recycling Program is an initiative that allows the public to keep mattresses out of landfills by recycling their old beds into new products or donating them for reuse. Through these programs, mattress manufacturers can reuse the materials in mattresses instead of using new and expensive materials. By participating in these programs, you can help reduce costs for yourself and mattress companies while also helping to save the planet.
How To Recycle Your Mattress
Currently, there are over 50 mattress recycling facilities in North America, and their numbers are growing all the time. Earth911.org maintains a directory of facilities, so you can see if there is one in your area. Simply search mattresses and your location. The International Sleep Products Association also hosts a list of mattress recycling facilities.
Some mattress recyclers only accept beds from retail or manufacturing partners, but many allow individuals to drop off beds or will pick them up for a small fee. Many cities also have annual mattress recycling days or community drop off locations.
If you are upgrading to a more comfortable mattress, you can also see if your retailer partners with any mattress recycling programs.
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How To Donate A Mattress
Say you’re moving to a new house and don’t want to schlep your mattress from one place to the next, then it’s best to donate any mattresses in good condition to a good cause. But, keep this in mind: Some national organizations like Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Habitat for Humanity accept nearly everything but mattresses. As for local charities go, there’s a better chance they’ll accept twin mattresses rather than queen or king-sized options due to space constraints.
After you triple-check that it’s free of lumps, rips, or stains, find out the best way to donate your mattress:
- Call any overnight shelters in your area to see if they can accept mattresses, or know another place that can. Just keep in mind that some shelters have strict policies against receiving mattress donations due to the fear of bedbugs.
- Connect with Human Services: Give your town or city’s human services department a call to ask if they’re aware of any local families in need. While they may not want you to deliver the mattress directly to the family, they’ll gladly handle the the transfer.
- Look at your Freecycle network: Put out a call on Freecycle.org to see if anyone in your area is looking for a mattress, and then have them pick it up for free.
- Reach out to friends and family: When all else fails, reach out to the people you know IRL to see if anyone needs a bed upgrade or if they know someone else who does. Some may take it for free, or even offer up a small amount of money in exchange.
How To Dispose Of A Mattress: Free And Paid Options
These are your options for getting rid of an old mattress, from recycling programs to trash pickup.
So it’s time to say goodbye to your worn out old mattress, but you aren’t sure how to dispose of it. While most of us would rather not add to the nearly 20 million mattresses that pile up in landfills every year, the alternatives may be trickier than they appear.
Recycling or donating mattresses seems like a simple enough endeavor, but the task can actually be quite challenging. Per the New York Times, some charities aren’t allowed to accept mattresses due to concerns over bed bugs or health department regulations, certain recycling programs have become less profitable and therefore less available, and many states don’t have recycling programs at all.
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Plus, since foam fluctuates wildly in its profitability, some of the popular online mattress brands offering 100+ night trial periods don’t always stick to their promise of recycling or donating returned mattresses — a claim that potential customers may view as a good reason for purchasing.
However, you do have options when it’s time to get rid of your old mattress. Depending on the condition of the mattress and where you live, you may be able to donate it, recycle it or even have it picked up. Here’s what we recommend.
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How Are Mattresses Recycled
The different component pieces of used mattresses can be used in different ways. The wood frames of box springs can be processed into wood chops and repurposed into particleboard, mulch, or animal bedding. The metal springs within mattresses can be melted down and reused in anything from appliances to buildings to vehicles.
As for the foam, wadding, fabric, and latex components, they can be turned into carpet underlay, stuffing for pillows, or be used in reupholstering furniture. That is an impressive array of recycling for one old mattress.
Mattress Micks Got Nothing On This This Is The Greatest Gathering Of Mattresses Youve Ever Seen Taking Up Most Of The Floor Space In A Warehouse In Glasnevin
With stacks and stacks of the things 20 and 30 deep, even the most sensitive of princesses could get a decent 40 winks here. If it wasnt, that is, for the occasional high-pitched squishing noise coming from the machine that bales-up mattress innards in preparation for recycling.
Eco Mattress does two very valuable things simultaneously. As a social enterprise, it provides jobs and hands-on work experience for people in the north inner city. And it recycles old mattresses, saving thousands of tons of material from going into landfill. From steel springs to polyurethane foam to fabric, every part of the mattress is recovered for use in industry or as fuel. Theres probably only one man in Ireland who could have come up with an idea like that. At the warehouse next door they call him the mattress guy. His name is John Scally and with 38 years of experience in waste management plus several more in community training schemes, its hard to imagine anyone better qualified to do what hes doing.
Id been involved with the locals in the north inner city, says John. We were using waste management and recycling as a vehicle for some community projects. Then after I retired from the council I joined up with Sunflower Recycling. We were producing some very good employees down there, through the community employment projects.
I hadnt a clue how I was going to do itbut I knew that I was going to do it
He says it one more time as Dublin.ie takes its leave: It has to work.
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How To Recycle Your Old Mattress In Australia
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When buying a new mattress or mattress in a box, it may cross your mind what are you going to do with your old bed? Because mattresses can last more than 10 years. But just like any other goods, the time will come when you need to dispose of your mattress.
In the state of Victoria, every year more than 300,000 mattresses are disposed to landfills, that’s a massive 5,700 mattresses every week. And because beds are usually made mostly of recyclable materials, it’s an enormous waste and environmental abuse.
How To Dispose Of A Mattress For Free
There are various solutions accessible to those who want to get rid of their mattress for free, but its vital to weigh the benefits and downsides before making a decision.
Lets look at different methods of disposing of a mattress for zero cost, whilst detailing the potential difficulties you may encounter when going down this route.
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Free Mattress Recycling Programs
Some states have free mattress recycling programs available. For example, in California, Connecticut and Rhode Island, the Mattress Recycling Council runs a mattress recycling program called , and statewide laws allow households to drop off old mattresses and box springs at collection sites free of charge .
You can also use ByeByeMattress or other search engines like Earth911 to locate a mattress recycling spot.This interactive mapreveals over 100 mattress recycling centers nationwide.
Some cities offer full-service recycling centers where you can drop off almost anything. If you have more than just a mattress to drop off, or the mattress is too large for you to bring in, you may be able to arrange for pickup from your home — some city and county governments will pick up bulky items curbside upon request, although these may or may not be part of a recycling program.
City recycling programs may charge a fee for dropping off mattresses or box springs. You may or may not need to make an appointment to drop off your mattress.
Places To Recycle Your Old Mattress
In previous iterations of this article, we strongly promoted the value of mattress recycling. We still see mattress recycling as a good option for many mattresses and hope mattress recycling programs will continue to grow. We do, however, think that some caution should be used in promoting mattress recycling as a sustainable solution for mattress waste.
Almost 20 million mattresses are sent to landfills or incinerators every year in the United States. This results in 450 million pounds of material occupying over 100 million cubic feet of landfill space. Conventional Mattresses are a terrible addition to landfills. They are difficult to compact, so they take up a large amount of space. Conventional mattresses contain synthetic foam and fibers, which are not biodegradable. Additionally, most conventional mattresses contain hazardous flame retardant chemicals which can potentially work their way into our drinking water.
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How To Get Rid Of A Mattress
You might be surprised by how many different ways you can dispose of your mattress. There are at least 10 different options, but some of them are expensive, environmentally damaging and even illegal, so picking the best way to get rid of your mattress can be difficult.
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Based on a survey of 1,098 Which? members conducted in March 2021.
Can You Take A Mattress To The Dump
If you have explored these other options, and cannot find anywhere to accept your mattress, you may be wondering how to get rid of your mattress. Avoid dumping or burning your mattress. Obviously, taking your mattress to the dump should be avoided if possible, but if you live in a very rural area or it is very bad shape this may be your only option. This is still a better option than burning it or dumping it somewhere that is not a designated dump or landfill. You should be especially careful about burning or illegally dumping your mattress. Dumping is illegal if you choose to dump your mattress on the side of the road or in someone elses dumpster, you could be fined. Burning a mattress can be extremely dangerous. If you burn a mattress, you are putting your own health and safety at risk. Burning a mattress also releases harmful toxins in the air that cause damage to the environment.
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Recycling Mattresses Your Easy How
Have you ever tried to move a mattress? They have to be one of the most difficult things to move. It doesnt help that they always seem to put the handholds for mattresses on the wrong sides. What about recycling mattresses?
Can you recycle your old mattress? Sure you can! We even provide links to find mattress recycling near you.
We just replaced our mattress. It was over 10 years old and was definitely showing signs of needing to be replaced. I got my new mattress from a company that gives you a 100-day trial. If you are unhappy with the mattress, they will take it away and refund your money. I thought this was the best option given I was not sure about what I needed in a new mattress. The best part, if you return the mattress, they give it away to charity.
The only missing piece of this great plan was what to do with the old mattress. Even if they did offer to take it away for me, I needed to keep it until the 100 days were up just in case.
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How To Dispose Of A Mattress Topper
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Looking to dispose of a mattress topper? When new mattress topper buyers want to get rid of an old mattress topper, they dont know where to go. One option might be to try returning the topper to the company it was purchased from, but this isnt always going to work. That said, there are alternatives.
Individuals that have purchased a new mattress topper have no use for an old mattress topper. At the same time, they dont know what to do with the old one, either. On top of that, they might not have enough storage space to keep the old mattress topper. Users looking to get rid of an old mattress topper should read this article for more information.
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How Can I Prolong The Life Of My Mattress
Another way to help reduce mattress waste is to use your bed as long as possible. Most beds should last an average of about seven years, but with proper care, you could extend their lifespan. Plus, since mattresses cost a significant amount of money, youre getting more use out of your investment.
Purchase a good mattress that will last! Here is a helpful mattress recycling guide:
One of the best ways to ensure that your mattress stays in good shape is to rotate it regularly. Ideally, you should rotate the item four times a year.
Purchasing a good mattress protector should also help your bed stay in mint condition. The protector will keep the mattress from becoming soiled or dirty due to issues like dust mites, spills, or sweat.
Another helpful tip is to regularly clean your mattress. You should aim to do a deep cleaning at least twice a year, but if youre extra diligent, you could also clean it once a month or every few months.
Free Residential Mattress Recycling Program
The mattress recycling program has received funding to continue through February 2024
Mother Earth Recycling, our partner, will recycle the mattresses and box springs brought to the Brady 4R Winnipeg Depot and keep them out of the landfill.
What’s accepted
- clean, dry mattresses and box springs
There is a limit of six mattresses and box springs, combined, per vehicle.
What’s not accepted
- mattresses and box springs that are:
- soiled
- bed frames
- sofa bed frames
Mattresses and box springs will not be accepted at the Pacific and Panet 4R Winnipeg Depots during the pilot.
For more information on how mattresses and box springs are recycled, visit Mother Earth Recycling.
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What Happens To Mattresses In A Landfill
Mattresses are made of many different materials, both organic and inorganic. When they are buried in the ground, the materials slowly break down. Unlike in compost, which mimics natural processes to break down organic material, trash in landfills breaks down in reactions independent from air, which creates some problems.
Will The Local Tip Take A Mattress
Your local tip will take old mattresses, but to get it there youll need a vehicle big enough to fit it in. If the boot of your car isnt big enough to fit the mattress when flat, you might find that it fits if you roll the mattress up as best as possible and fasten it using some rope.
But that’s a lot of effort to go to when the mattress might well just end up in landfill anyway. You might decide youd rather go to the extra effort of taking it to a dedicated recycling facility, or pay for the convenience of the council or a specialist disposal company to collect it from your house.
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Preparation Makes A Big Difference
Preparation makes a big difference. Recycling facilities may reject mattresses that are too wet, mouldy, have pests, or excessive human excrement. Therefore, your best chance at recycling a mattress starts by taking good care of your bed when you use it. Keeping a mattress in good condition keeps your end-of-use disposal options open. Then, when its time to recycle, it becomes a simple matter of deciding what recycling service you need, as opposed to worrying about whether or not you can recycle it.
Recycle Your Mattress Dont Send It To The Grave
Landfills are considered the grave in the cradle to grave life cycle assessment of products. The cradle refers to the sources of the materials the product is comprised of and the beginning of its production. Landfills are holes in the ground, like graves, but they share more similarities than simply a visual resemblance.
The landfill is the end of the line for products that are put there. By recycling your mattress, you can give new life to materials that otherwise would be buried away, sometimes contaminating the environment.
You can find places to have your mattress recycled at Earth911.org or by calling 1-800-GOT-JUNK. The number of places with the ability to recycle mattresses continues growing every year, including both public and government facilities and private recycling operations. Some organizations will pick up your mattress, but you may have to take it to a designated location. Another thing to look into are local mattress recycling days or pick up points in your community.
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