Looking to get rid of an old mattress but not sure how? Whatever you do, don’t just dump it.
Dumping a mattress on the street, in an alley or even a dumpster isn’t just an eyesore, it’s illegal, too, and can result in hefty fines—as much as $10,000—and/or jail time.
There are alternatives.
Bye Bye Mattress offers consumers several options to discard their unwanted mattresses. Bye Bye Mattress is a program of the Mattress Recycling Council. It was created by the International Sleep Products Association to develop and implement mattress recycling programs for states such as California, Connecticut and Rhode Island which have all enacted mattress recycling laws. You can log on to https://byebyemattress.com/ to find a mattress collection site, recycling facility, or collection event near you.
WHY RECYCLE?
When you consider nearly 50,000 mattresses are tossed into landfills every day in America, that adds up to a lot of garbage. Plus, most of the materials that mattresses are made of, such as synthetic fabrics, foams, and metals, can take forever to break down, which ultimately can harm the environment. Almost 80 to 90% of these materials can be recycled.
USES FOR RECYCLED MATTRESSES:
- Foams And Plastics: They can be washed, shredded, processed, and recycled for applications like carpet padding.
- Cotton Flock And Wool: These materials can be cleaned, processed, and used as yarn or recycled textiles.
- Lower Grade Fabrics: These are often processed and sold for use in vehicle matting and interiors.
- Metals: They are taken from the frames and springs and are melted and used in several alternative products.
- Wood: It can be chipped and used as mulch or burned as fuel.
There are other eco-friendly ways to dispose of a mattress. If you’re buying a new one, most retailers are required to offer the option to pick up your old mattress when delivering it to you at no additional cost. In addition, some thrift stores accept gently used mattresses and may offer free pick-up.
If you live throughout Sacramento, California, there are several locations that will accept your mattresses at no charge for recycling.
Here are some additional Sacramento area mattress recycling centers:
NORTH AREA RECOVERY STATION (NARS)
4450 Roseville Road
North Highlands, CA 95660
VALLEY MATTRESS OUTLET:
4160 14th Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95820
IMPERIAL MATTRESS S.P.M. INC:
3440 La Grande Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95823
YOLO COUNTY CENTRAL LANDFILL
(county residents only)
44090 County Road 28H
Woodland, CA 95776
FLORIN PERKINS PUBLIC DISPOSAL SITE
4201 Florin Perkins Road
Sacramento, CA 95826
Editor’s Note: Some information used in this article is reprinted, with permission, from the City of Elk Grove Newsletter.
