Connecticut’s first-in-the-nation program for recycling mattresses is approaching its third birthday. The “mattress stewardship program” continues to experience growth, recycling about 162,000 mattresses last year.
If you’ve bought a mattress recently, you might have noticed a $9 fee tacked onto your bill.
That money funds the state’s mattress recycling program, which allows people to recycle for mattresses and box springs at no cost at about 120 locations in the state.
“We also have two statewide drop off locations -- one in Newington and one in Bridgeport,” said Justine Fallon, operations manager for the Mattress Recycling Council, which runs the program. “And then we work with other municipalities that can’t house permanent containers, but do provide special one day collections, so at least residents in their community can drop off mattresses at least once or a couple times a year.”
You can view a map of drop-off spots online at ByeByeMattress.
Fallon said one of the council’s goals for 2018 is to increase uses for the foam and springs in recycled mattresses.
Currently, Connecticut recycles about 14,000 mattresses per month.
Prior to the program, those mattresses may have been incinerated or illegally dumped on neighborhood curbs.
