Nothing lasts forever, meaning eventually, that mattress you love so much will have to go as it gets older.
If you are a resident of Victoria, throwing it away can be difficult as it will add up to the over 300,000 mattresses discarded in landfills every year.
Since there are plenty of ways to properly dispose of your mattress in Australia, you don’t have to worry about disposing of your old mattress. Some ethical measures include donating to charity, selling it, recycling, and free disposal.
This article will explain how each of the methods mentioned above is done, helping you understand how to get rid of that old mattress.
1. Recycling Services
You have an option of seeking recycling services from companies that fully engage in that. You can research various DIYs using your old mattress if you are an artist. This procedure is environmentally friendly and completely ethical.
By adopting the three Rs method, i.e., recycling, reusing and reducing, recycling companies break down your old mattress into more valuable components.
Other than mattresses, wood or metal coins are recycled into wood chips and scrap metal.
Some of the major recycling companies in Australia include Soft Landing, Got Junk or Recycling Near You. They all have operations in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.
If you need their services, all you have to do is pay a small fee of about $25-$50 to book a pick-up day. Pick-up rates vary according to the company and state.
In case the fee is more than you can spare, you have the option of delivering the mattress to your desired enterprise and leaving all the work to them.
One of the companies offering such services for free in Sydney and Melbourne is Soft Landing and Recycling Near You – all of which have operations all over Australia.
Other cities that have local recycling services include:
- Melbourne: BedCollect, 1300Rubbish
- Perth: Recycling Centre Balcatta
- Sydney: Mattress Recycle Australia
- Adelaide: Adelaide Waste and Recycling Centre
- Brisbane: MattressRecyclers
You might incur a recycling fee with some of the companies mentioned above.
If you opt to go for DIY, the springs in the mattress can make great wine racks or any creative art. On the other hand, the foam can be recycled to be used for packaging and storage of fragile objects and as bed pads, among others.
2. Charity Donations
This is another great option as compared to disposing of in landfills. However, this will depend on the condition of your mattress.
Your mattress will not qualify for donations if it has the following defects:
- If the surface of a mattress is stained: It’s better to recycle it than donate. Otherwise, if you have liquid spills deep into the mattress, there may be many underlying foul odour and mould problems. This could make your donation option void.
- Possibilities of re-infestation: Bugs or moulds in your mattress should be taken care of as soon as possible. But even if you took care of that, you should remember that simply cleaning your mattress does not entirely prevent re-infestation.
- Structural problem: If your mattress is torn, or the coils are popping out, sagging, or having broken rings, recycling it would be the only option.
However, every donation centre has its policies; consult the administration before making any donation.
Before donating to shelters or charities, reform your mattress to a more reusable state. Some recycling companies, such as Recycling Near You, can donate your mattress on your behalf after it is reviewed. The same is done by BedCollection company that grants partially used mattresses to homeless shelters.
3. Making Cash Out of It
This is yet another convenient way of disposing of your old mattress. You can opt to resell it instead of giving it out to charity.
However, this is only effective for slightly used mattresses. If your mattress does not live up to your expectations after using it for a while, then this is the right opportunity to resell it. Avoid selling your mattress if it displays signs of wear and tear.
A site like Gumtree and Craiglist, among other social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, offer a wide audience and is the perfect place to get started through posting ads.
4. Try Hauling It
When you’re ready to buy a new mattress, it’s easy to dispose of your old one via local removal companies. All that is required of you is to pay a small disposal fee and haul your way out of your old mattress. This is one of the best and most convenient options available.
Conclusion
Mattresses are some of the most difficult household items to dispose of. Many people dump mattresses in landfills or leave them on the curb to be picked up by a trash company. If you want to dispose of an old mattress, you can consider the few options above.
