MATTRESS RECYCLING

Old mattresses pose a particular waste management problem.  Disposing of mattresses is difficult because of their bulk, and increasing disposal fees can lead to illegal mattress dumping.

Illegal dumping of mattresses could lead to hundreds of dollars in fines, require tax funds to clean up, and lead to insect infestations.  Help prevent illegal dumping by reporting incidents to local authorities or environmental protection department.

1.  Millions of mattresses are landfilled each year and can take up 28 cubic feet of space.2.  Any mattresses sent to incinerators are just as difficult to handle.  Mattress springs often damage

or get stuck within the machinery.3. Due to the contamination of water, dirt, wear, illegal dumped mattresses often do not qualify for

recycling.4. Local municipalities often have inconsistent collection practices, which leads to the loss of

qualifying recyclable materials.

Mattresses are made up of foam, cotton, wood, and steel, all recyclable materials. Recyclers can recover approximately 80 percent of materials from a mattress and box spring.

Waste Management Options

1. Old mattresses that are merely being replaced can be donated or resold, though businesses may need to obtain special permission to resell.  Because this option reduces waste entirely, it is the most preferred option.

2. Some companies can refurbish old mattresses by stripping it and replacing the foam, cotton, and covering. These companies replace the filling and retain the original springs.

3. Recycling mattresses involve recovering, boxing, and baling all mattress materials and selling them to their respective recycling processors.  Steel and cotton together make up over 60 percent of most mattresses.

Mattress Recycling Process1. Recyclers first remove wood, steel, and cotton from the mattress. Wood is sold to chippers for use

as fuel, and steel is sold to be melted and used to produce new materials.2. Recovered foam is torn, or shredded using special machinery, and sold for use as insulation or

carpet padding.

Considerations

1. Municipal collection and processing of mattresses has been proven costly and difficult. Consistent quality and handling make recovering materials for recycling a challenge.

2. Hotels, motels, and apartment complexes often face the task of disposing leftover or damaged mattresses. These types of facilities should consider taking old mattresses to special mattress recyclers who are equipped to handle the material.

3. Businesses who need to dispose of several mattresses at once often need to hire a hauler, due to the difficulty of transporting.

4. Mattress manufacturers could encourage recycling by establishing an incentive program, or by taking on responsibility for transporting old mattresses to private recycling businesses.

5. Some recyclers can add mattresses to the materials that they are currently recycling.  Check with your solid waste governing body to inquire about any special permitting.

6. Many local governments will assist with setting up a recycling facility and requesting special permits.

7.  Recycling mattresses poses a potential bed bug danger to workers.-Mark and isolate any discovered infestations.-Record all prevention methods in place within the recycling facility.

-Keep a clean work area in the facility, including docks, vacuums, and delivery vehicle seatRefurbish vs. Reuse vs. Recycle In the past, “recycling” a mattress was often mistakenly viewed as putting a new cover on an old mattress.  However, this is not recycling.  Even so, it is important to recognize that mattresses can be and are reused in their original form.  To help understand issues related to safety, health and the environment, a few commonly confused terms have been listed below. Reuse – Mattresses and upholstered furniture in Connecticut can be used again as mattresses and furniture.  Individuals and businesses can legally donate these materials (though they should be in good, clean condition).  Thrift shops or other reuse businesses can only resell mattresses and upholstered furniture with proper licenses from the CT Department of Consumer Protection.  

 Please NoteIt is illegal for any storefront/retailer to sell, rent, or renovate any used bedding or upholstered furniture without the proper license and permit, and proper sanitization/sterilization methods.  These statutes and regulations are enforced by the CT Department of

Consumer Protection’s Bedding and Upholstered Furniture Program

  Refurbishing/Remanufacturing/Rebuilding/Renovating - There are some companies that ‘refurbish’, ‘remanufacture’, ‘rebuild’ or ‘renovate’ used mattresses.  There are also a few companies in the U.S. that provide the service of rebuilding your mattress for you.  Both include stripping down the mattress and replacing the cotton, foam, insulator, and covering (retaining only the original springs), and remaking the mattress as good as new.  Companies that take old mattresses and put new covers on them are not refurbishing the mattress.  If companies remove the old covering first and then replace it – they are still not refurbishing.  To renovate, refurbish, rebuild or remanufacture bedding (includes mattress and box spring) new filling material needs to be added.  Bedding and upholstered furniture statutes and regulations   are enforced by the CT Department of Consumer Protection. Recycling – Recycling happens when the steel, foam etc. are recovered, boxed or baled and sold to recycling markets.  These markets may continue to process materials or create new products from the raw materials recovered from the mattresses and box springs. Some recycling businesses will remove the steel frame and then landfill or incinerate the remaining parts of the mattress.  Dismantlers, however,

recover much of the different components that make up a mattress and box spring (wood, metal, foam, fabric) and have recycling markets for 80 – 90% of the original product.  

Prolong the life of your mattress by following the

manufacturer's instructions, which generally involves

turning it four times a year.   Where Do the Materials Go and What Are They Used For? The wood, metal springs and cotton are removed from the mattress.  The remaining foam is usually torn up, although some recycling facilities are more sophisticated and utilize shredding machines to shred the foam. The wood is typically sold to wood chippers and used as a fuel source. The cotton and foam are sold to companies that use the materials for insulation and carpet padding. The steel from the metal springs is usually sold to steel recycling companies who melt it down to make new products. There are quite a number of uses for a mattress, and a dedicated recycling facility can recycle up to 90 percent of the mattress.   Most mattress dismantlers make some money selling raw materials, but usually request a fee per unit to cover all the costs of recovering the maximum amount of materials.  In addition to conserving resources recovered through mattress recycling, landfill and incinerator operators will experience reduced handling and disposal challenges, and other businesses engaged in material processing or new product development will have access to the recovered raw materials.  Bed Bugs The Connecticut Coalition Against Bed Bugs (CCABB) suggests if bed bugs are found on a mattress and/or box spring they either be put into encasements and tagged as infested or marked (spray painted) as infested

 What’s in a Mattress? 

A mattress is made up of metal (mostly steel), wood, cotton

batting, paper, fiberfill, urethane foam, and other miscellaneous

textiles.

It typically has 9 pounds of cotton and 25 pounds of steel.  It's

composition is roughly: 

30% metal38% cotton10% foam

4 % wool shoddy

Overall these numbers vary, and continue to change as

manufacturers adjust how they make beds and the materials they

use to make them.

and slashed/defaced/cut up/damaged to prevent reuse and further infestation.  Managers of transfer stations, landfills, mattress recycling facilities, and incinerators are encouraged to review CCABB’s Best Practices for Bed Bug Management of Mattresses, Bedding, and Upholstered Furniture: Guidance Document for the Reuse/Resale and Recycling Industries in Connecticut (2011) to ensure that staff are taking precautions not to bring bed bugs home with them.

 

DO NOT donate or give away mattress and/or box springs if they have bed bugs! Bed bugs hide in cracks and

crevices, such as seams, tufts, labels, and corner protectors. They leave behind black spots (fecal matter).