Forty-four Massachusetts communities have been selected to receive a combined $440,000 for new mattress recycling efforts through the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). The mattress recycling incentive grants, now in their seventh year, enable municipalities to purchase a dedicated mattress collection containers that hold 40-80 mattresses for disposal by one of five state-approved mattress recycling vendors.
Massachusetts Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth Card notes, “Massachusetts’ 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan sets strategic goals to significantly reduce waste disposal over the next decade, and mattress recycling serves as an important component as we work to reach these goals.” The state reports that more than 75 percent of mattress components are recyclable.
According to MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg, “Recycling mattresses and box springs reduces the need for additional landfill and incinerator capacity, captures valuable materials for reuse, and supports a growing business sector here in the Commonwealth.”
Currently, 126 municipalities have already established mattress recycling programs or participate in a regional program through MassDEP’s prior grants. The state’s mattress waste disposal ban that applies to landfills and combustion facilities goes into effect on November 1.
