Mattress recycling program saves $1.5 million in disposal costs

Connecticut’s Bye Bye Mattress program has recycled 150,000 mattresses, saving more than $1 million in disposal costs, according to the Mattress Recycling Council.

“This program has created jobs, recovered vast quantities of resources to be reused, saved municipalities $1.5 million in disposal costs and given residents an easy way to recycle a cumbersome item,” said Robert Klee, commissioner of Connecticut”™s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

The program has exceeded, met or is on pace to achieve nearly all benchmarks set in its plan, which was approved by the state in 2014, according to the Alexandria, Va.-based Mattress Recycling Council. The group said it has recovered more than 2,800 tons of steel, foam and other materials that will be made into new useful products, and that it has expanded its collection network to 101 drop-off sites, including locations in Trumbull, New Fairfield, Shelton and Bethel.

Funded by the $9 recycling fee that state residents pay when buying a new mattress or box spring, Bye Bye Mattress allows Connecticut residents to drop off used mattresses at participating collection sites and recycling facilities free of charge. The initiative will help Connecticut reach its goal to divert 60 percent of materials from disposal by 2024, according to the MRC.