May 31 - California One Step Closer to Mattress Recycling Law

Connecticut Governor Dannell Malloy just signed the country’s first mattress recycling bill, which will require mattress manufacturers to develop a recycling stewardship program.

California is close on the heels of CT with SB 254 (Hancock and Correa), which would require this state’s mattress manufacturers to create a similar program. The bill passed off the Senate Floor this week with a 32-5 vote and is now on its way to the Assembly.

Passage of this legislation would lift the financial burden that currently falls on local governments that are called upon to dispose of illegally dumped mattresses. In the City of Oakland alone, the cost to deal with an average of 18-35 abandoned mattresses per day costs the city about a half million dollars each year. The bill would also provide consumers with convenient mattress recycling options.

SB 254 enjoys solid legislative support this session from a broad range of stakeholders including the mattress industry, retailers, environmental groups, cities and counties, and waste haulers.

Photo Credit: Richmond Confidential