The Mattress Recycling Council has a lot to celebrate.
With a successful first year of mattress-recycling programs in California, Connecticut and Rhode Island, MRC’s Bye Bye Mattress program has kept more than 1 million mattresses out of landfills, plus much more, MRC officials said during a program Jan. 24 at the Winter Las Vegas Market in the World Market Center.
Ryan Trainer, president of the International Sleep Products Association and the Mattress Recycling Council, expresses gratitude to the retailers and manufacturers who have gone the extra mile to make the first year of mattress-recycling programs a success.
The steel, foam, fiber and wood removed from these products have been given new life as hundreds of new and useful products, such as appliances, building materials, carpet padding, insulation, acoustic panels, filters and anything made of steel.
It also has made an impact on peoples’ lives.
“Three nonprofit organizations use mattress recycling as a job-training program to help veterans, ex-offenders, the homeless and others who have trouble finding work gain important work experience,” said Ryan Trainer, president of MRC and the International Sleep Products Association. “More than 200 people have relied on these organizations and mattress recyclers to gain job skills and employment. As the volume of recycled mattresses increases, these organizations can continue to help those in need.”
What’s next for 2017?
MRC plans to expand its large-volume pickup service to include California, said Mike O’Donnell, MRC managing director. Currently, large-volume pickup in Connecticut and Rhode Island is available to those that collect at least 50 units. For California, MRC will pick up old mattresses from retailers, hotels, universities and others who have 100 mattresses to discard.
By the end of the year, O’Donnell fully expects another million mattresses will be recycled.
