Mattress Disposal: 4 Ways to Dispose of a Mattress

When you get a new mattress, you will have to decide what to do with the old one you are replacing. In many cases, a mattress retailer will provide pick-up services for mattress removal. If you don’t plan to reuse your mattress materials for a pet bed or DIY project, you have four options for mattress disposal:

1. 1. Donate: Mattress donations are legal and encouraged in many states, provided that your used mattress is clean and in good shape. You may be able to donate your mattress to a nonprofit group, thrift store, or homeless shelter. Know that in some states and municipalities, mattress donation is never permitted.
2. 2. Sell: If you want to sell a mattress that’s in good condition, try online marketplaces. Make sure your mattress is clean and free of bed bugs.
3. 3. Recycle: An eco-friendly way to dispose of your old mattress is to bring it to a recycling center. In the United States, many states and municipalities run mattress recycling programs for reusing parts—California, Rhode Island, and Connecticut have proactive recycling services. Many recyclers will load up and haul away your mattress for a small fee, which is subsidized by local governments.
4. 4. Landfill: To send a mattress to a landfill, mattress owners can pay for a junk removal service, or schedule a pickup with your municipality's trash collection services. If you have your own means of hauling the mattress, you can use drop-off facilities at regional dumps. Do not wedge a used mattress in a shared dumpster, though, as it creates complications for neighbors and garbage trucks.

At a recycling facility, machines break down mattresses to repurpose their parts for new products. Memory foam is shredded into insulation, and innersprings find new life as scrap metal. The combined wood from box springs can provide thousands of cubic feet of mulch. By opting to recycle your mattress rather than send it to a landfill, you can help preserve useful material and limit overall waste.

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