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Mattress Recycling Council keeps 10 million mattresses out of landfills


ALEXANDRIA, Va. –  Since its founding six years ago, the Mattress Recycling Council has recycled 10 million mattresses through its statewide programs in California, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The work since 2015 has diverted more than 380 million pounds of steel, foam, fiber and wood from landfills, and the materials were recycled into new products. To market the milestone and to become more effective, the MRC has embarked on a research project to promote product circularity within the industry and improve mattress collection and recycling processes.

“Since our first program launched in 2015, MRC has provided residents with highly accessible recycling services, diverted many thousands of tons of recyclable materials from the waste stream and created hundreds of green jobs,” said Mike O’Donnell, MRC’s managing director. “In addition, our Bye Bye Mattress consumer education effort has informed residents why mattress recycling is important and how to do it correctly.

“We share this achievement with the mattress manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, state and local officials, research partners, and countless others who have collaborated with MRC to make this milestone possible.”

MRC’s statewide collection networks in California, Connecticut and Rhode Island use existing solid waste infrastructure to get mattresses from waste haulers, landfills, transfer stations and public works yards, as well as mattress retailers, businesses, hotels, colleges and nursing homes. MRC also collaborates with local officials, nonprofit organizations and community-based groups through local collection events.

“We’ve worked closely with local governments to reduce both their mattress disposal costs and the logistical problems that bulky mattresses cause,” said Marie Clarke, MRC’s vice president of industry and external affairs. “In the process, MRC has diverted valuable resources from landfills and back into the economy.”

MRC transports about 10,000 truckloads of mattresses annually from more than 300 collection sites to recycling facilities for disassembly. The recyclers prepare the materials for sale to scrap dealers. This work creates entry level positions as well as jobs for skilled technicians who maintain recycling machinery.

Nonprofit organizations, including Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, the Local Conservation Corps in California, Park City Green, Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul, in addition to small-businesses and other companies operate MRC’s collection sites, collection events and recycling facilities. Some of the organizations use mattress recycling positions to bolster their jobs training programs. Together, MRC’s collection network supports about 300 local green jobs.

The organization remains committed to improving operations and finding uses for old mattress materials. MRC allocates nearly $1 million annually to research projects that will improve processing productivity, recover more recyclable material and find new end markets. MRC is currently seeking proposals that demonstrate how mattress components can be used in new and reformulated products. Selected applicants are eligible to receive up to $100,000 per project.

“Our process improvement efforts are helping mattress recyclers respond to immediate operational challenges while also setting them up for long-term success,” O’Donnell said. “We also welcome the interest that mattress manufacturers and component suppliers are taking in our research as their efforts to create a more circular economy for mattresses accelerates.”