LOC News
Mattress Recycling for Your City: Residents Can Drop Off for Free
The rollout of the statewide “Bye Bye Mattress” recycling program in Oregon is underway, giving residents a no-cost option for dropping off their unwanted mattresses and box springs and offsetting many costs that cities and solid waste facilities incur.
The Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) is excited to introduce this new statewide initiative that aims to increase mattress recycling in Oregon. The MRC is a non-profit organization created by the bedding industry to implement the statewide mattress recycling program called for in Oregon’s Mattress Stewardship Act (SB 1576).
Join a growing list of Oregon communities:
The MRC works with municipalities throughout the state to bring the benefits of mattress recycling to residents and local governments. The MRC has secured commitments in 23 Oregon counties for ongoing mattress collection sites or single-day recycling events.
Community benefits of mattress recycling with Bye Bye Mattress:
- Helps solid waste facilities save time and money. Because the MRC pays for the collection containers and for transportation and disassembly of mattresses, transfer stations avoid these costs.
- Provides a tool to combat illegal dumping of mattresses and box springs in parks, streets, riverbeds, and other public spaces. In California, illegal dumping activity has decreased near mattress collection sites and events.
- Reduces challenges that solid waste facilities face with landfilling these bulky items. Mattresses and box springs aren’t designed to compress easily and can jam machinery. Landfills benefit from improved compaction rates and decreased operating expenses.
- Provides residents with a no-cost option to recycle their mattresses and box springs. Residents no longer need to pay dump fees to get rid of these items responsibly.
- Conserves resources. Valuable steel, foam, and wood are kept out of the landfill and used to create new products. A life cycle analysis of our California program showed recycling saves water, conserves energy, and prevents greenhouse gas emissions.
How your city can get involved:
- The MRC can help you explore bringing a no-cost drop-off opportunity to your community.
- It can be as simple as starting with a mattress collection event. This event could serve as the foundation for establishing a permanent collection site that benefits your residents and community for the long term.
- Contact Oregon program coordinator Darcy Perez at dperez@mrc-us.org or (971) 339-1339 to learn more.
- Or say hello and connect with Darcy at the Oregon City/County Management Association (OCCMA) Conference, July 8-11 in Bend.
The MRC has a decade of experience in California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, where its programs have led to the recycling of more than 15 million mattresses. The organization is committed to providing the support and resources to help Oregon cities successfully offer no-cost mattress and box spring drop-off to residents.
For more information, visit MattressRecyclingCouncil.org. To find a collection site or event near you, go to ByeByeMattress.com/Oregon.
Contact: Darcy Perez, Oregon Program Coordinator – dperez@mrc-us.org or (971) 339-1339
Last Updated 6/13/25