Mattress Recycling Program Tests Completed

Posted by MCC on August 28th, 2010 at 07:00am

The International Sleep Products Assn. has announced that they’ve completed a mattress recycling program. The pilot program with a South Carolina based solid waste recycling business, Rubber Recovery Inc., was conducted to test the different options available to recycle large amounts of used mattresses. ISPA partnered with Rubber Recovery last year to see if the same technology they use to recycle tires and other items could be used for mattresses.

The results won’t be reported until later when Leggett & Platt drafts the report and any recommendations. The ISPA will then make the report available to all of its members and any companies that are interested in recycling old mattresses. Numerous members contributed various resources to the pilot program including Simmons and Park Place who provided hundreds of mattresses for the tests. “Most mattress recycling today is performed exclusively using manual labor. An efficient mechanized approach is needed to process the volumes of used mattresses that large urban areas will generate,” said ISPA President Ryan Trainer.

Four people from Leggett & Platt’s engineering and quality assurance departments were sent to document the tests. Several manufacturers of foam products will analyze the mixture of shredded foam, fabric and fiber that is generated from the shredding process to see if it is suitable to make re-bond foam that will then be used for carpet padding. Other recyclers, mattress manufacturers, retailers and component suppliers also over saw the test and provided insights on how the process could be adapted to recycling mattresses.

“Proper disposal of used mattresses has been a pressing industry problem for years and the need for a permanent solution is obvious,” said Don Wright, ISPA chairman and chief marketing officer at Wright of Thomasville. “ISPA is committed to working with mattress manufacturers, industry suppliers, the retail community, government officials, and recycling centers to develop an economically feasible and sustainable solution to this problem. I look forward to seeing the results of this pilot program, and sincerely appreciate all the support we have received from our members.”

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