MRC News
Las Vegas Winter Market: A Huge Success
This year’s Las Vegas Winter Market was one of the best yet for MRC. Our staff made great connections with program participants, walked the floor and provided information about the program and available resources.
Many retailers stopped by MRC’s booth to discuss AB 187 and changes to the program in California, as well as how to update their registration. MRC’s Commercial Volume Pickup program was a hot topic for those collecting a large number of mattresses for recycling. We also handed out a lot of customer education material and MRC swag. Our staff and booth will be back for the Summer Market. See you there!
MRC at the ISPA Expo!
Don’t miss MRC’s educational session “Mattress Recycling and Sustainability: Today and Tomorrow,” at the ISPA EXPO, Thurs., March 19 from 2-3 pm.
Join us to:
- Hear how MRC and its Bye Bye Mattress program is expanding recycling, growing its collection network and fostering education and outreach.
- Gain knowledge about research activities undertaken to improve system efficiencies and develop new markets for recycled mattress commodities.
- Learn about the launch of the Sleep Products Sustainability Program (SP2), designed to help California mattress manufacturers reduce waste and energy consumption.
Update Your Company Profile on MRCReporting.org by March 31
Each year, MRC publishes the names of registered producers, company addresses and a list of the product brands or URNs they sell in annual reports submitted to state regulatory agencies in California, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Companies that produce a mattress that is sold or offered for sale in one or more of these states must verify their company profile information on MRCreporting.org no later than March 31.
Why should you update your profile?
- The recent inclusion of futons in California’s definition of mattress may require updates to your company profile.
- Due to recent changes in California law, MRCReporting.org now has a category for distributor registration.
- Introduction of new brands or products
- Company turnover resulting in a change of contact information.
Log into MRCreporting.org today to update your profile as soon as possible. For assistance, email support@mattressrecyclingcouncil.org.
California News
MRC Welcomes Tim Stockett!
Please welcome MRC’s new Central California Program Coordinator, Tim Stockett. Tim is the new primary point of contact for collection sites and recycling participants in Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Sonoma counties. He also will work to further expand MRC’s collection network and conduct public outreach and education about mattress recycling.
With the addition of Tim, MRC has updated the territory assignments for our California Program Coordinators. Click here to view the new map.
Illegal Dumping Event Sponsored by MRC
As part of our ongoing effort to help stop illegal dumping, MRC recently sponsored the 20th annual Roots of Resistance Conference in Visalia, Calif., hosted by the Central California Environmental Justice Network. Participants at the workshop brainstormed solutions to combat illegal dumping in the Central Valley of California. A special thanks to CCEJN’s Executive Director Nayamin Martinez for hosting such a valuable event!
3 Ways To Recycle Ad Campaign
An MRC-sponsored advertising campaign to build awareness of Bye Bye Mattress is running in California over the next few weeks via TV, radio, print and online advertising.
The ads, which focus on the “3 Ways to Recycle,” raise awareness of Bye Bye Mattress and no-cost mattress recycling options for Californians. Check out the campaign in the Bye Bye Mattress media center.
Northeast News
Welcome the Town of East Hampton!
MRC welcomes the newest Connecticut town to join MRC, East Hampton. With a population of over 12,000, the town just received their first container and is very excited to start recycling mattresses! Their facility is town-staffed and open every Saturday.
MRC in Action at the Connecticut Recyclers Annual Conference
Held in Hartford in late January, the Connecticut Recyclers Coalition Annual Conference gave MRC an opportunity to hear from key legislators and stakeholders from across the recycling spectrum.
A panel discussion featured the General Assembly Environment Committee Chair Rep. Mike Demicco. He commented on the success of MRC’s mattress program in the state, which is approaching its fifth anniversary. Thank you, Connecticut!
Research
End Use Research Contract for Shoddy Awarded by MRC
MRC is pleased to announce a contract has been awarded to GHD, Inc. to research potential end uses for shoddy felt recovered in the mattress recycling process. GHD will explore the applicability of using shoddy in stormwater and erosion control products in civil engineering applications.
“Shoddy felt is a protective compressed fiber mat between mattress springs and foam layers that is very difficult to recycle and is usually landfilled,” according to MRC Managing Director Mike O’Donnell. “Through this and other MRC-funded research initiatives, our goal is to keep more material out of landfills by remaking them into usable products.” Read more about this project here.
Chemical Recycling Research Contract Awarded by MRC
MRC has awarded a research contract to Pittsburg State University’s Kansas Polymer Research Center. The university will chemically modify and evaluate a variety of recycled mattress materials (including polyurethane foam, polyester, cotton, and coconut fiber) to determine if they are suitable for use as battery and supercapacitor components.
“While this is early stage research, MRC is very interested to learn if upcycled mattress materials can be reconstituted into promising, sustainable end-use applications,” said MRC Managing Director Mike O’Donnell. The contract is part of MRC’s annual $1 million research fund to improve the recyclability of discarded mattresses and build new markets for recycled mattress materials. Read more about this project here.
Upcoming Events
Look for MRC if you are attending any of these upcoming events:
ISPA Expo
March 18 – 20, 2020
New Orleans, LA
Learn More
For Retailers
Customer Education Materials
For Collection Site & Event Hosts
Recyclers in Your Area
California
Businesses need to make arrangements directly with recyclers. Those with at least 100 units may contact Joy Broussard for Commercial Volume Pickup.
Connecticut & Rhode Island
Businesses should contact our Northeast Program Coordinator Dan McGowan for arrangements.
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