Ready to upgrade your mattress, but not sure what to do about the old one? The Massachusetts Mattress Disposal Ban has been in effect since 2022, and while the rules haven’t changed in 2025, it’s still important to know how to properly recycle your mattress and avoid penalties.
Thanks to the Massachusetts mattress disposal ban, which first took effect in November of 2022, mattresses can no longer be dumped in landfills.
Now, in 2025, the focus is on better compliance and making the recycling process easier and more efficient. So, what do these changes mean for residents, businesses, and municipalities? Let’s break it down.
What Is the Massachusetts Mattress Disposal Ban?
The Massachusetts mattress disposal ban ensures that commercial entities and citizens can’t throw their mattresses into any state landfill. Instead, these bulky items must be broken down and recycled.
The regulation is part of the state’s Solid Waste Master Plan. This plan helps reduce overall waste and support sustainability by keeping large, recyclable materials like mattresses out of landfills.
Three years in, the emphasis is now on making mattress recycling more accessible and consistent across Massachusetts. That includes support for haulers, municipalities, and residents to stay in compliance and understand what is considered a “conforming unit.”
The Origins of the Mattress Ban in Massachusetts
More than 600,000 mattresses are discarded in Massachusetts annually. That adds up to tens of thousands of tons of waste – most of which can (and should) be recycled. A typical mattress contains 75% recyclable materials like steel, foam, or fabric.
But when mattresses end up in landfi lls, they take years to break down and take up valuable space.
The Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) instituted the mattress ban in Massachusetts to provide a cleaner, more sustainable alternative. According to MassDEP, recycling just one mattress can save 65 pounds of waste from landfi lls.
Who Is Affected by the Massachusetts Mattress Ban?
The Massachusetts mattress ban applies to pretty much everyone who might have a mattress in the state, including:
- Residents: Homeowners and renters can no longer leave mattresses out with their curbside trash (unless their town contracts with a certified mattress recycler like Tough Stuff Recycling).
- Municipalities: Cities and towns are required to provide compliant mattress recycling options to all of their residents who live within the city limits.
- Businesses: Retailers, hotels, universities, and healthcare facilities must contract with mattress recyclers when disposing of large quantities of mattresses.
If you’re not sure whether your town offers mattress recycling, check with your local public works department or visit our service page to check your zip code.
How the Mattress Recycling Process Works
So, how does mattress recycling actually work? The process is a lot more efficient than you think. At Tough Stuff Recycling, we make the process simple, no matter if you’re dropping off your mattress or scheduling a curbside pick-up.
First, our team will disassemble each mattress by hand and separate components that can be recycled:
- Steel springs are melted down and reused in appliances, construction materials, and new metal goods.
- Foam becomes carpet padding or insulation.
- Textiles and fi bers are shredded and reused in industrial oil fi lters or padding.
- Wood can be chipped into mulch or burned as fuel.
2025 Updates to the Massachusetts Mattress Disposal Ban
While the core regulations haven’t changed in 2025, MassDEP continues to push for broader adoption, better tracking, and improved clarity for both residents and service providers. Here’s what to keep in mind this year:
- Clearer labeling of acceptable and non-acceptable mattress types
- Ongoing enforcement for non-compliant waste haulers
- Continued support for municipalities to partner with certified recyclers
There are also more digital tools available through MassDEP to help residents and businesses find certified drop-off spots, like ours!
What Types of Mattresses Are Accepted?
To be able to recycle your mattress, it must be considered a “conforming unit” and meet certain guidelines. Wondering whether yours complies? Here are the guidelines:
Mattresses Accepted
- Mattresses and box springs (infant/child, twin, full, queen, king)
- Memory foam mattresses
- Latex mattresses
Mattresses Not Accepted
- Wet or heavily soiled mattresses
- Mattresses with bedbugs (must be professionally treated)
- Futons, sofa beds, air mattresses
Check out our blog about “non-conforming” units for more information.
Additionally, at Tough Stuff Recycling, we require all mattresses to be placed in a protective mattress bag if left outdoors for curbside pickup, especially in rainy or snowy weather.
What Happens If You Don’t Comply
Residents and businesses that do not follow the state-wide ban on mattress disposal may receive fi nes – and rejected mattresses. For individuals, improper disposal could mean an added fee for junk removal services. You may have to drop off the mattress at a certified recycling center yourself, too.
Tough Stuff Recycling: A Leader in Mattress Recycling
We’re proud to be one of the country’s leading mattress recyclers. Tough Stuff Recycling was founded by industry veterans with decades of experience in sustainable waste solutions. Our mission is to keep bulky waste out of landfills – and make it easy and affordable, too.
Since the beginning, we have recycled more than 1 million mattresses. Our top-of-the-line facilities were designed specifically to process mattresses by hand. As a result, we’re able to recover a high percentage of usable materials from every unit we receive.
Our CEO, Mike Gurnee, brings over 30 years of industry expertise and a strong commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility. Under his leadership, TSR has grown into a trusted partner for municipalities, retailers, and residents alike.
His leadership continues to be shaped by a simple but powerful belief: “It’s okay not to have the answer—you just need the curiosity and stubbornness to keep trying to find it.”
Leading the Charge in Mattress Recycling Solutions
Whether you’re moving or simply upgrading your bed, recycling your mattress is the best, and most environmentally-friendly, way to go. Thanks to the Massachusetts mattress disposal ban, tossing your mattress in the trash is no longer an option.
With Tough Stuff Recycling, you don’t have to worry – we can help! To learn more about our process, or to simply schedule a pickup time, head to our mattress recycling page. Let’s keep Massachusetts clean and green for future generations.