Oregon, US – The Mattress Recycling Council’s Bye Bye Mattress programme is now up and running in Oregon. This is the fourth state to sign MRC up to operate its state-wide mattress recycling scheme, after California, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
The scheme was mandated by the state’s Mattress Stewardship Act. MRC was chosen to run the Oregon programme in July last year, following several revisions of its proposal.
The scheme allows consumers to drop off any old mattress or foundation at a participating recycling location, which are listed on byebyemattress.com. It also works with large users of mattresses, such as hotels and universities.
In common with the three existing schemes, it is funded by a point-of-sale fee on all mattresses and foundations. In Oregon, this is set at $22.50 per unit, and it must be detailed as a stewardship assessment on the customer receipt. Customers must also be informed about the collection opportunities available for unwanted mattresses.
All manufacturers, importers, distributors and renovators of mattresses and foundations sold for use in Oregon must now be registered with MRC. Without this, they will be unable to sell their products within the state.
MRC has already recycled more than 15 million mattresses in California, Connecticut and Rhode Island over the past decade.
“Our expansion into Oregon reflects the bedding industry’s commitment to recycling,” said Mike O’Donnell, MRC’s COO. “We’re grateful for the support of Oregon’s solid waste community, mattress retailers and manufacturers as we embark on this exciting new chapter.”
