The Long Beach Public Works Department is accepting used mattresses to be recycled all-day, every day as part of an ongoing 90-day pilot program through Oct. 29.
“This pilot mattress drop-off program will offer our community more opportunities to responsibly dispose of their used mattresses,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a public statement. “By offering round-the-clock access, we are making it easier for residents to reduce waste and make a positive environmental impact.”
The 24-Hour Mattress Drop-Off program is in line with City’s goals on environmental sustainability and waste-reduction, and is intended to cut down on illegal mattress dumping.
An estimated 18,000 mattresses are illegally dumped every year in Long Beach, meaning City resources that would otherwise go to more impactful cleanups are instead used on clearing the mattresses. The program officially began on Aug. 1 and after its conclusion, it will be assessed whether or not the 24/7 services will be extended.
After being disposed of at the drop-off site, the mattresses are sorted and transported to a recycling facility where they are opened up to isolate its steel, foam, fiber and wood. More than three quarters of the mattress elements are recyclable, meaning the program also hopes to reduce the number of mattresses going straight to landfills.
“We are hopeful that this free pilot program will help make collection of mattresses more efficient while reducing dumped items in our City,” said Eric Lopez, Director of Public Works in a public statement.
Public Works also partners with the Mattress Recycling Council’s Bye Bye Mattress initiative to host drop-off events every first Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. These events and the pilot program take place at the same location, 970 W. Chester Pl. More than 458 mattresses have been recycled since these monthly drop-offs began in April 2023.
