Oregon Mattress Recycling Bill Becomes Law, March 31

Oregon DEQ release – PORTLAND, Ore. — March 24, 2022, Oregon became the fourth U.S. state to enact a law establishing a statewide mattress recycling program. The law, signed by Gov. Kate Brown and championed by Sen. James Manning Jr., requires mattress manufacturers to set up and operate a recycling program, overseen by the state, that makes it easy for consumers to recycle their unwanted mattresses. The new extended producer responsibility, or EPR, law will increase mattress recycling, establish new convenient locations in every county for residents to drop off their mattresses, reduce illegal dumping, and create recycling-sector jobs. As with the Oregon paint stewardship law, retailers will collect a small fee from consumers to fund the program. “Adding mattresses to the products covered by Oregon’s EPR programs will provide a much-needed service in both urban and rural communities throughout the state,” said Abby Boudouris, senior legislative analyst at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Mattress Recycling Council programs already exist in California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and together have collected more than 10 million mattresses. The programs have resulted in 380 million pounds of steel, foam, fiber, and wood being diverted from landfills and recycled into new products.