Recycling Council marks major milestone by recycling millionth mattress

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The recent report released by CascadeAlliance highlights the need and importance of mattress recycling. It states that the Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) has reached a major milestone by recycling millionth mattress. According to the report titled “The State of the Mattress Recycling Industry”, only 5% of discarded mattresses are recycled in the entire US. Only three states-Connecticut, Rhode Island and California have enacted laws to create statewide mattress collection and recycling programs. Similar legislation is under consideration by many other states.

Ryan Trainer, President, MRC stated that by recycling its one millionth mattress, MRC is proud to have achieved an important milestone. However, this must be considered as just a beginning. MRC is committed to make mattress recycling easier and more efficient in the forthcoming years, Trainer said.

As per rough estimates, nearly 20 million mattresses and box springs are disposed of by Americans every year. This equates to almost 55,000 discarded mattresses and box springs every single day. Majority of these ends up in landfills or incinerators. The discarded mattresses account for almost 450 million pounds of waste every year, occupying large quantities of landfill space. They also contribute to environmental hazards due to the presence of non-biodegradable and flame-retardant materials in it. Alarmingly on 5% of discarded mattresses are collected for recycling.

According to the report, mattress recycling business is not so popular, as it is often not profit-making. The proceeds from the various components such as steel, foam fibers and wood often turns out to be inadequate to cover the labor costs. Hence, authorities need to extend support to the industry by having them paid a per mattress fee. The hardships and expenses involved in landfilling mattresses makes recycling a better option.

Connecticut, Rhode Island and California are the only three states to pass legislations to create statewide programs for collection and recycling of mattresses. Even in those states, recycling is not made mandatory. Also, mattresses are not banned from landfills. Similar legislations are underway in many other states.

The Bye Bye Mattress program administered and run by MRC has nearly 300 collection points across the three states where public is allowed to drop off their old mattresses and box springs. The materials thus collected are recycled at 11 recycling facilities. The program is funded through the recycling fee that is collected by retailers at the point of sale of new mattresses and box springs. As of January this year, the program has recycled 1 million mattresses across the three states, thereby saving nearly 11 million cubic feet of landfill space and offering employment to more than 200 people.