How to recycle: Mattresses

What are my options to remove old mattresses?

There are essentially two options: donate or recycle. 

1. DONATE. If your mattress is in good condition, use MassDEP’s Beyond the Bin Recycling Directory to find organizations near you that will accept it for reuse or recycling.

2. RECYCLE: Consumer Mattress Recycling

Retailer haul-away. If you purchase a new mattress from a mattress or furniture store, your retailer most likely offers a removal option for your old mattress, usually for a nominal fee.

Visit the Melrose DPW website to learn more: https://www.cityofmelrose.org/447/Mattress-Recycling

What is included / not included in the ban?

The regulation defines a mattress as: “any resilient material or combination of materials that is enclosed by ticking…and that is intended for sleeping upon”

Included in the ban: all size mattresses (California king, king, queen, full, twin XL, twin, crib), including full-foam and latex mattresses, as well as mattresses-in-a-box. All size box springs.  

Notincluded in the ban: mattress pad, mattress topper, sleeping bag, pillow, car bed, carriage, basket, dressing table, stroller, playpen, infant carrier, lounge pad, crib bumper, liquid- or gas-filled ticking, including any waterbed and any air mattress that does not contain upholstery material between the ticking and the mattress core, futons, and sofa beds

Also not included are mattresses that are contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil, or hazardous substances.

What if my mattress is contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, bed bugs, etc.?

These mattresses cannot be donated or recycled and must be handled separately. Please call the Melrose DPW 781-665-0142 or email recycle@cityofmelrose.org for assistance. Let Melrose’s DPW know that you have a mattress that is not recyclable due to its condition or contamination.