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Recycling Mattresses and Box Springs
As part of the Mattress Recycling Council’s Bye Bye Mattress program, the City’s Environmental Services Department accepts mattresses and box springs for free at the Miramar Landfill. The Mattress Collection Site is located on the east side of the entrance at 5161 Convoy Street, 92111, next to the Household Hazardous Waste Transfer Facility. Mattresses and box springs are accepted Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The site is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Items must not be severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen, soiled or infested with bedbugs. The limit is 10 units per trip.
The Mattress Collection Site is CLOSED on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
To find other mattress recycling locations near you, visit ByeByeMattress.com/find-a-facility/
Terminology
Mattress is defined as any sleep surface covered with ticking or fabric, regardless of size or shape. This includes foam mattresses.
A box spring (also commonly called a foundation) is defined as a ticking or fabric-covered structure used to support a mattress, regardless of whether the product is stationary or adjustable.
Futon mattresses are also considered a mattress, but they must be removed from the frame or base to be accepted. Futon mattresses that do not detach are not accepted for recycling.
All items accepted for recycling must have been used and discarded in the state of California.
Unacceptable Items
- Severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen or soiled mattresses or box springs.
- Items infested with bedbugs.
- Mattress pads or toppers.
- Sleeping bags and cots.
- Pillows, cushions, blankets, sheets and other loose bedding.
- Car beds.
- Infant carriers, lounge pads or crib bumpers.
- Juvenile products such as carriages, baskets, cribs, bassinets, dressing tables, strollers and playpens, crib bumpers or their pads.
- Waterbeds, collapsible rollaway beds, or camping air mattresses.
- Foldout sofa beds, futon frames/bases.
- Household furniture.
- Mattress or box spring in a cardboard box or plastic bag.
About Bye Bye Mattress
Bye Bye Mattress is a mattress recycling program that uses a recycling fee collected on each mattress and box spring sold in California to collect, transport and recycle used mattresses. The program, which also operates in Connecticut and Rhode Island, combats illegal dumping and helps the City achieve its Zero Waste Plan goals.
Mattresses and box springs are broken up into four main components (steel, foam, fibers and wood), which are used to make hundreds of new products such as carpet padding, construction rebar, insulation, filters and mulch.
Mattress Recycling FAQs
Can I drop off my mattress/box spring for free?
Yes, we are a participating collection site. We will accept up to 10 units for free. Landfill fees may apply if your mattresses are brought in with other waste.
What happens to mattresses that are too soiled or contaminated to recycle?
Severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen, or soiled mattresses or box springs must be discarded in the trash.
I didn’t buy a mattress recently, can I still drop off or recycle it for free?
Yes, any mattress no matter when it was purchased is now eligible for free drop-off and recycling, providing it is not wet, heavily soiled or infested with bedbugs. Landfill fees may apply if your mattress is brought in with other waste.
Can I drop off other bedding-related items for free too?
No, only traditional mattresses and box springs are accepted. Futon mattresses are also eligible, but not their bases. Therefore, if it can’t be separated from the base, it is not eligible. Other furniture like sofa beds, crib mattresses, air mattresses and car beds along with other sleep-related items are not eligible.
What is the Bye Bye Mattress program?
Bye Bye Mattress is a mattress recycling program operating in California, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Established by law and operated by the nonprofit Mattress Recycling Council, the program uses a recycling fee collected on each mattress and box spring sold to collect, transport and recycle used mattresses. It’s also helping combat illegal dumping. Visit ByeByeMattress.com to learn more about the program.
Who is the Mattress Recycling Council?
The Mattress Recycling Council is a nonprofit organization created by the mattress industry that operates a mattress recycling program in states that have passed mattress recycling laws. Visit MattressRecyclingCouncil.org for more information.
Will MRC or Bye Bye Mattress pick up my mattress/box spring for me?
No, the Mattress Recycling Council’s Bye Bye Mattress Program is a network of collection points and recyclers. It does not provide curbside pickup for individuals. Please note that the City of San Diego does not provide bulky item pickup or curbside pick-up services.