Mattress recycling has increasingly become a recycling business opportunity. It has been aided by the greater than four million old mattresses and a similar number of box springs being disposed of every year, in conjunction with growing pressures to better manage this waste stream. Landfill pressures and environmental responsibility initiatives have helped position mattress recycling as an emerging opportunity within the recycling industry, with more mattress recycling operations continuing to open.
Here is a brief overview.
Why recycle old mattresses and box springs
Almost 4.5 million mattresses and 4.5 million box springs are sent to the landfill or incinerator every year in the United States, according to Nationwide Mattress Recycling, amounting to 250 million pounds of mattress material. With an average mattress consuming 23 cubic feet of space in a landfill, and the threat of fire retardants leaching from them, there is increasing pressure from landfills to divert old beds.
At the same time, environmental initiatives by the mattress industry, retailers, institutions and the hospitality industry also are creating an increased demand for mattress recycling services. The good news is that mattresses are widely recyclable – over 95 percent on average according to one mattress recycler.