Mattress recycling efforts in Canada have netted at least 56 tons of old mattress and box springs in the recent months. That’s already quite a lot considering this project, headed by mattress company Sleep Country, only began last September. And to date, there are efforts to expanding the project.

Sleep Country has had a long-standing practice of giving to charities some of the more lightly used mattresses it collects. But most old mattresses aren’t up to the rigours of accepting new sleepers. The company wanted to avoid throwing them into the garbage, so it hit upon recycling.

“It was a conscious effort to divert as much as we can that goes to the landfill,” said Christine Magee, Sleep Country president. The retailer expects to recycle about 60,000 mattresses and box springs a year in Ontario, and give about 30,000 to charity.

Three other major mattress retailers – Sears Canada, the Brick, and Leon’s Furniture – couldn’t immediately provide information on their recycling practices.

The city of Toronto started a pilot project in September for recycling large items that don’t fit into its new garbage bins, part of a highly touted municipal goal of diverting 70 per cent of residential garbage from landfills. An estimated quarter million mattresses and box springs are thrown out in a city of Toronto’s size each year.

To date, the city has gathered about 56 tonnes of old mattresses and box springs in its pilot project and is considering ways of expanding it.

Via The Globe Mail