You Can't Bring A Used Mattress To The Dump In This US State
Whether you're moving or simply buying a new mattress, disposing of your old mattress can pose a challenge. Many people simply end up taking their well-worn mattresses to the dump. If you live in Massachusetts, though, that's no longer an option.
In late 2022, the state of Massachusetts began refusing to take mattresses for its landfills. This is a big deal: Rhode Island news station WJAR reports that over 600,000 mattresses were sent to Massachusetts landfills each year before this change. As you might imagine, the shift was made to help relieve pressure on overflowing landfills in the small state.
While this makes mattress disposal a little more difficult for Massachusetts residents, the good news is that it'll encourage mattress recycling. Massachusetts offers several recycling options in its mattress disposal guidelines, keeping those bulky items from going to waste in a landfill. Even if you don't live in Massachusetts, this news makes it an ideal time to consider reusing or recycling your used mattress.
Why aren't mattresses welcome in landfills?
Mattresses don't just take up a lot of landfill space. They're also made of many different recyclable materials and can often be reused, making them great candidates for sustainable disposal.
The component parts in a mattress include things like steel springs, foam padding, and cotton exteriors. When these pieces are separated, they can often be recycled by various services. For example, clean mattress padding can be used in other types of furniture or as a protective packing material. Yet currently, according to The Guardian, people in the U.S. toss over 18 million mattresses each year (in part because there are relatively few recycling facilities available yet).
By banning mattresses from its landfills, Massachusetts might help encourage mattress recycling overall. In addition to mattresses, the landfill ban also extends to other textiles, like clothes, towels, and even shoes. Although the state's main goal is to free up precious landfill space, this ban could be good news for the environment, encouraging Massachusetts residents to make recycling a higher priority.
What to do with a used mattress
Recycling or reusing a mattress is an eco-friendly choice and may even help you avoid waste-removal fees. Whether or not you're a Massachusetts resident, now is a great time to consider alternatives to the dump.
If your used mattress is dry and clean, there's a good chance someone else can use it. Consider asking your friends or family members if they need it. For example, a used mattress could be a big help to a recent college grad moving into their first apartment.
When you buy a new mattress, many stores will also take your old one and donate it for recycling. Some states, like Rhode Island, offer programs that allow you to drop off old mattresses at collection sites (although certain areas may charge a handling fee).
If you've explored these options and you're still at a loss for how to recycle your mattress, consider trying Earth911's handy recycling search tool. This site allows you to search by material and zip code for places to recycle your old mattress — and just about anything else.