Sure, we say that recycling is a good idea, but the percentage of people who actually do it does not reflect our supposed dedication to the practice.
Even less common are those who take time to recycle larger items like camp mattresses or dormitory mattresses. Collecting and recycling your old milk cartons and cereal boxes is easy enough, but when it comes to mattresses, recycling gets a little more complicated — and a lot more weighty.
So, does it really matter if you recycle your old mattresses? What happens if you don't? To answer those questions, let's take a look at the journey your mattress takes if you throw it away.
Straight to the landfill
Old mattresses that are not recycled go to the landfill. However, the number of mattresses that end up in landfills every day is too high to keep up with. This problem is compounded by the fact that mattresses are too big and bulky for landfills. They're too large to decompose as quickly as they need to, and they can't be compressed as easily as other trash. These factors combined is resulting in landfills being clogged with mattresses.
Sending mattress to landfills is costly
In addition to the environmental costs of choosing not to recycle mattresses, there is a financial cost. Here's why...
Throwing away mattresses is more expensive than throwing away other garbage because they're more work.The things that make mattresses bad for landfills are the same things that make them more expensive to throw away. They're big, bulky and clog things up. They don't compress well, and if the mattresses have springs, they can actually damage the equipment at landfills. For those reasons, most landfill managers don't like dealing with mattresses and charge more to do so.
Of course, the local government pays the added charge, but ultimately they're reimbursed with tax dollars — your tax dollars.
As long as the government is paying extra money to dispose of mattresses, you'll be reaping the financial repercussions of throwing them away. But when consumers start recycling their mattresses, they'll start seeing the financial benefits in addition to the environmental ones.
What can you do?
Start by buying only mattresses that are recyclable — green mattresses. When you purchase from American Bedding, you always get 100% recyclable mattresses and mattress covers. Ask us about other product features by contacting us online or giving us a call at (800) 203-2507. You can also click on the link below to browse our catalog.
