MRC recently updated Connecticut officials on the performance of its statewide mattress recycling program known as Bye Bye Mattress, which has operated since 2015 and led to the recycling of more than 1.2 million mattresses from Connecticut consumers. MRC’s 2021-2022 Annual Report describes the efforts taken during its seventh year of operations to cultivate and grow the collection network and increase participation from mattress retailers, educational facilities, lodging establishments and the healthcare industry.
MRC reported recycling 205,046 mattresses and box spring units during the reporting period, which resulted in the diversion of 3,744 tons of steel, foam, fiber and wood from the waste stream. Major uses for the reclaimed material included carpet padding, insulation, filters and new steel products.
MRC obtained the units from participating Bye Bye Mattress collection sites at town transfer stations, recycling centers and public works yards, seasonal collection events, and waste haulers operating curbside collection of bulky items. This collection network footprint spanned 147 of Connecticut’s cities and towns. Recyclers also received over 1,500 tons of mattresses from other entities including mattress retailers, hotels, colleges and universities, hospitals and property managers.
“If you purchased a mattress recently you may have noticed a mattress recycling fee on your receipt,” said Dan McGowan, MRC’s Northeast Program Coordinator. “A large majority of that fee has made the collection network and disassembling of the units possible. Over the program’s lifetime, recyclers have diverted more than 21,000 tons of steel, foam, fiber and wood from Connecticut’s landfills and incineration. To learn how and where to recycle a mattress in your area visit ByeByeMattress.com.
For more about MRC’s impact on Connecticut: MattressRecyclingCouncil.org/Programs/Connecticut.