More than Half of Mattresses Get Second Life After Disposal
As a way to cut costs while
helping the environment, the ACUA works with an outside contractor to recycle
mattresses that pass through its transfer station.
The recycling initiative reduces
the amount of waste going into the landfill, which saves valuable space and
reduces maintenance costs. Mattresses are very difficult to compact and often
get wrapped up in the moving parts of our tractors and bulldozers. This can
lead to lengthy downtime and costly repairs. By recycling the mattresses
instead, we reduce this impact on our equipment.
No bed bugs allowed! To be
recycled, mattresses cannot be dirty or bug-infested. When mattresses are
dropped off at the transfer station, they are inspected, and if deemed clean,
are stored in a trailer that is later picked up by the recycler, CJP Group.
The recycler then breaks down
the components of the mattresses (metal, foam, wooden frames, etc.) and
recycles the parts.
In 2019, nearly 62 percent of
mattresses were recycled through the program!
In addition to
mattresses and the traditional materials collected curbside, ACUA recycles yard
waste (by
turning it into EcoSoil) and most metals disposed of at the facility.