Mattress Recycling Event!

Got an old mattress?

A mattress and box spring recycling collection event will be held on Saturday, September 14th from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the Oconomowoc Public Works garage, 630 S. Worthington Ave.  Residents and businesses may bring their mattresses or box springs to be recycled for a fee of $15 per item.  The collection is a coordinated effort between Midwest Mattress Recovery, the City of Oconomowoc and the Waukesha County recycling program.

 “We are excited to offer this opportunity for our residents to recycle their mattresses,” said Rebecca Mattano, Waukesha County Solid Waste and Recycling Supervisor. “When an item such as a mattress is made of so many valuable materials which can be recycled to markets, it’s only logical to make every attempt to recycle the materials instead of disposing in a landfill.”

 Studies estimate that 17 million mattresses are disposed of annually in the United States, most of which end up in landfills Currently, mattresses and box springs set out at the curb for trash pick-up in Waukesha County are landfilled.  Wisconsin landfill tipping fees are approximately $62/ton, generally paid for by the residents of each community through taxes.

Midwest Mattress Recovery, located in Watertown, opened its doors on March 4th of this year, and has already recovered over 248,000 pounds of material from over 4,000 mattresses and box springs.  The collection drive in Oconomowoc is the first of its kind for the company, providing an opportunity for residents to bring their old mattress to a drop-off event.

“Mattress recycling is a trend building steam nationwide, and we are proud to be the first company in Wisconsin in the game,” said Bob Mudler, founder and owner of Midwest Mattress Recovery.  “Recycling your old mattress is the right thing to do; we’re saving a lot of space in the landfill.”

 The company accepts mattresses and box springs from commercial businesses, such as hotels and resorts, or from individuals who can drop off pieces at their warehouse. Midwest also offers a residential collection service for customers in its neighboring five counties. 

 According to the company, each mattress is disassembled manually in about 10 minutes. Using a box cutter to open the mattress, employees gain access to separate and process each component to be recycled.  Among the most valuable materials recovered are the metal springs, wood frame and polyurethane foam – all of which are recycled by companies located in Wisconsin.

 For more information about the collection event and Midwest Mattress Recovery, visit midwestmattressrecovery.com or call 920-261-1999.  Waukesha County Recycling can be contacted at 262-896-8300.