Where Do Old Mattresses Go?
by Charlotte Coffman
Conventional wisdom is that the life of a mattress is about 10 years. This translates into more than 300 mattresses being tossed daily. Considering that the average mattress contains 9 pounds of cotton and 25 pounds of steel, that is a lot of waste!
So, how do you dispose of your old mattress when the new one moves in? You have at least five options:
1. Dump your mattress in the landfill. This decision obviously contributes to landfill overload plus most landfills charge a high fee. Some landfills will not accept mattresses due to the 23 cubic feet that one mattress requires and to the fact that their bulkiness and metal springs may damage landfill machinery.
2. Allow your retailer to dispose of your mattress. Most home-furnishing stores or mattress outlets will haul away your old mattress when they deliver your new one. Some simply haul the mattress to the dump; others participate in recycling programs. You should inquire about disposal while you are mattress shopping. Some “green” retailers guarantee a built-in recycling program.
3. Give away your mattress. If the mattress is still serviceable (perhaps you are simply changing from a double bed to a queen size), you can post your mattress in the “free” section of a web-based network such as Freecycle or Craigslist.
4. Donate your mattress to a charity. Check with your local health department to learn whether organized charities in your region are allowed to accept used mattresses. Obviously, the mattress should be clean and in good condition.
5. Send your mattress to a mattress-recycling center. The past decade has seen the opening of several mattress-recycling operations across the United States. An efficient recycling factory can salvage up to 90% of the mattress materials. Metal springs are melted down and sold to steel companies. The cotton and foam are reused for carpet bagging, insulation, filters, etc. and the wood is sold to wood chippers. To search for a mattress recycling center in your area check the online database at Earth911.org.
Mattress recycling centers are only available in a few states so most readers will not have access to these services. Nonetheless, knowing that such centers are feasible can lead to consumer demand for more such facilities. In the meantime, make your mattress purchases based on where your mattress will go ten years from now.
Resources:
1. EarthTalk. Mattresses: Can Old Bedding Be Recycled?, Christian Science Monitor, pp 44. July 5 and 12, 2009.
2. NRRI Now. The Afterlife of Mattresses, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN. Spring/Summer 2008.
3. Planet Green, How and Where to Recycle Your Old Mattresses, October 24, 2008.
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/recycle-matress.html
