Canada has around 3000 landfills which are already overflowing. The waste generated keeps growing every year with the developments and people buying more due to increased wealth. Most discard off old objects when new ones are purchased.
With the increased greenhouse gases and overall impact on environment, people are making efforts to recycle products.
Disposal of mattresses is a serious issue these days. Most people dispose mattresses when their needs are fulfilled. A few aspects considered are age, injury, weight gain or loss. Although alternatives of recycling and donation exist; about 20 million mattresses end up in landfills. They are bulky and each takes up about 20-60 cubic cm space. Additionally, they take about 50 to 100 years to decompose. During this long duration they lie around in the landfills and become refugee to vermin and pests. The chemicals these possess can seep into the ground and leach groundwater, which can then impact human and animal life. By recycling your mattress, you are lowering your carbon footprint and ensuring landfills last longer.
Not every part of the mattress can be recycled. Below are mentioned the major parts that are commonly recycled
A] Metal springs
Most mattresses we see around have innersprings. These are made from steel and can very much be reused to make other products. Production of new steel makes use of more energy as compared to recycling, which is why removing metal springs when discarding mattresses is recommended.
B] Low grade fabric
Fabrics used in mattresses are usually made from cotton, wool, silk, and even rayon, all of which are renewable plant and animal fibres; which makes them good enough to recycle.
C] Foam
However surprising it might sound; foam mattresses are made from organic materials like soy, castor beans, plant based latex and natural oil sources. All of these are renewable sources and can be recycled.
D] Mattress filling
If your mattress has cotton filling, it can be reused in making pillows, carpet padding or other reupholstering furniture. Once the fabric is clean, the material can be recycled and used.
When all these parts can be recycled so constructively; why dump them in the landfills to occupy space? Recyc-Matelas mattress recycling is the most effective solution for recycling your mattress, ensuring no usable bit is wasted.
If the existing landfills get crammed up, we will have to create more of those; encroaching on animal habitats. So do your part and contribute to the environment!
