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If 10,000 Biters recycle a full-size bed instead of trashing it, we'll avert enough waste to cover an American football field with 8 feet of garbage.

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According to researchers, sleep deprivation contributed to the human errors that caused the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Challenger space shuttle disaster, and the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

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home ›   tip library ›   Mattress Recycling

Is your manger lookin' kinda mangy?

The Bite

Then say rock-a-bye-bye to your mattress. Donate or recycle it instead of sending it to the landfill, then start counting sheep on your new one.

The Benefits

  • Fewer waste-related nightmares. We throw away about 20 million mattresses each year in the United States - so donating or recycling means smaller landfills (recyclers can separate the fiber, foam, steel, and wood for remanufacturing into - for example - new mattresses).
  • Not waking up the cops. In some areas, trashing your mattress is illegal since they take up so much landfill space; some municipalities require you to recycle.

Personally Speaking

In the SF team's hood, lazies leave mattresses on the street all the time even though it's illegal. In the rain. (As if somebody's gonna pick up your drenched, stinky mattress.)

Wanna Try?

  • Check with the store where you're buying your new mattress to see if it offers donation or recycling services for your old one.
  • Earth 911 - type in mattress and your zip for a nearby recycling drop-spot.
  • Craigslist and Freecycle - list your mattress for free; chances are someone'll want it.
  • Instructables - DIY instructions on cleaning your mattress before you donate it.

Oct 06,2008


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Bed Hopping

When I move to a new pad this month, one of the only things coming with me is my mattress. Having lived in 14 apartments since college, I've learned to travel light - for years, I slept on subletted or previously owned mattresses with little thought paid to the ick factor (a pal: "you obviously never had bedbugs") and resold them when I moved across country - thrice. Mattress swapping, I'm all for it.

Plus, a thick organic pad will at least make you think you won't catch the cooties. Now that I'm all grown up tho', this new pillow top's a keeper.

-Senior Editor Theresa...off to trampoline-jump on her all-cushy mattress...


Biter Comments...
My mom uses old bedsprings in her garden. She picks off all the stuffing and uses the metal frame as a trellis for her vines. She even has an arbor made out of three old beds.
Thanks for listing that Earth 911 website again. I think you have before (?), but this time I checked it out and it's VERY cool. I typed in all sorts of things I've been hanging onto with good intentions of properly recycling and/or disposing of; everything from ink cartridges to concrete. For everything I could think of, there were several options in my area. Excellent tip!
I'm all about recycling your bed--but when you buy a recycled mattress, beware and be sure that it's from a reputable dealer. The fear of bedbugs is a real one, and quite often the recycled ones are made from those stinky, rain drenched curbside numbers you mentioned. 20/20 or somebody did a special on it a month or two ago. Bad recyclers give good companies a bad name--so be sure to support the good guys!
14 Apartments!
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