Can Mattresses Be Recycled?

Did you know that nearly six million mattresses are thrown away in Canada every year? Pile them up and you’ll get a mountain multiple times taller than Mount Everest! It’s hard to even imagine the amount of landfill space they take up. The multiple different materials used in mattresses are also not biodegradable so that means they can take over a hundred years to decompose – if at all. 

While many landfills have mattress recycling programs, the sheer number can make it a challenge. Read on to learn how you can help reduce the pressure on landfills, and the environment, and help some people along the way.

How Does Mattress Recycling Work?

Mattresses are complex objects containing foam, polyester, metal, and wood. In order to recycle a mattress, each component first needs to be separated from the others before it can be treated appropriately. While taking your old mattresses to a recycling center can feel like a bit of a task, here’s what happened when Vancouver banned mattresses and boxsprings from landfills in 2011:

• 50,000 mattresses were recycled.
• It saved 1 million cubic feet of landfill space.
• 95% to 99% of the materials from each mattress were recovered for reuse.
• 45 new jobs were created.

So, the short answer to the question is yes. Mattresses can be recycled and doing so can keep tons of garbage out of landfills.

What Can You Do With Old Mattresses?

There may be a number of different reasons why you want to get rid of an old mattress. You may have gotten a new bed that needs one of a different size, or you may want one with a different firmness, or you may simply want an upgrade. While sending your old mattress to a recycling center is an option, if you feel like there’s still some wear left, there are plenty of other things you can do.

1. Resale

Not everyone can afford to buy a new mattress. If your old mattress is in relatively good shape, you may want to consider reselling it. You can advertise that it’s up for sale or pickup on various online marketplaces like Facebook or Craigslist. Putting it up at a fraction of the cost may make someone’s day.

2. Donate

Do you know someone who’s setting up their first home and is in a pinch? They may be grateful for your old mattress. 

Another option is to look for a charity that can put your old mattress to good use. Many charities donate mattresses to people in need or even use them to provide beds to people in need. Still, others resell mattresses to finance their activities. Even your local animal shelter may be glad to repurpose your old mattress into dog beds. The possibilities for using your old mattress to do good are endless. All you need to do is pick up the phone and ask around. 

3. Mattress Recycling Center

If your mattress is too worn down to be put to good use, then you can either take it to your local landfill where it can be segregated for recycling immediately or a simple Google search will tell you where to find a mattress recycling center near you. 

Once you know what you’re doing with your old mattress, it’s time to treat yourself to some well-deserved R&R with a brand-new one. 

Q Living Furniture has a wide range of mattresses for you to choose from with sizes ranging from single to king with delivery available all across British Columbia.  Need a custom-size mattress? No problem, they can offer custom mattresses too! 

Browse our online store now or get in touch with our team for assistance.