Jan 4 - California’s Mattress Recycling Program Debuts

Californians can now recycle their used mattresses and box springs for free at participating collection sites and recycling facilities.

The statewide recycling program, known as Bye Bye Mattress, comes as a result of California’s Used Mattress Recovery and Recycling Act — Senate Bill 254  in 2013— which requires retailers to collect an $11 recycling fee on any mattress or box spring sold to California consumers starting on December 30, 2015. The fee is used to pay for transporting and recycling discarded mattresses. In addition, consumers purchasing new mattresses can have their old one picked up for free if the retailers provide delivery services.

More than 80% of a used mattress’ components can be recycled —the metal springs, foam, wood and fibers — and made into new useful products. A recent article highlights a local mattress recycler,  DR3 Recycling in Woodland where DR3 employees will strip down both mattresses and box springs by hand and machinery, separating the different material of each into different piles throughout its warehouse. Those materials are then sold back to third-party processors and manufacturers to remake new products, while the metal collected from mattress springs are kicked back to the local landfill.

SB 254 was sponsored by the environmental group Californians Against Waste and ultimately co-sponsored by mattress manufacturers through the International Sleep Products Association. In addition, it was supported by mattress retailers, local governments, recyclers, business leaders and environmental groups.

To find your nearest participating collection site or recycling facility, click here.