SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): The Virginia Senate voted to pass Delegate Amy Laufer’s bill to create a Mattress Stewardship Program. The program will require producers to manage mattress waste by creating a collection and recycling system.
According to the Mattress Recycling Council, more than 50,000 mattresses are discarded in the U.S. each day even though more than 75% of a mattress can be recycled. Mattress recycling is scarce throughout Virginia for individuals and institutions including hotels, hospitals, universities and military bases. High fees and limited options mean mattresses are often dumped into the environment where they can harm wildlife, disrupt waterways and become unrecyclable over time.
The legislation will move disposal fees to the point of purchase rather than at the point of disposal. This will fund the recycling program’s collection and management. This fee shift also aims to stop illegal dumping by removing disposal barriers.
Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com