Today in France it is more than 5 million mattresses that are thrown away every year. The used mattresses are thrown away in the waste collection centers or sometimes abandoned on the sidewalks, we even find some in the rivers! It is then the municipalities which are in charge of transporting them to a dump.
The pollution caused by mattresses
Until now, mattresses represented a huge source of pollution. In France, abandoned mattresses represent more than 100 000 tons of waste. It is necessary to know that a mattress thrown in the nature takes more than 100 years to degrade, and the synthetic mattresses spread materials resulting from the petrochemistry in the environment, a catastrophe! But things are changing because we are starting to think about recycling mattresses!
The recycling of mattresses
For mattresses still in good condition, it is possible to deposit them in a recycling center, specialized centers that are in charge of cleaning and disinfecting the mattresses. Then the materials are separated so that they can be used in other ways.
In France, there are collection points for bulky furniture that are set up on an occasional or regular basis and that allow you to drop off old mattresses for recycling; you just need to get information from the town halls.
The Emmaus centers can also take in old mattresses for recycling.
It is not well known but used mattresses can also be donated to animal shelters to be used as beds for animals. Likewise, as of October 1, 2018, certain comforters and pillows can also be recycled. The components of these items are washed and reused for bedding or industry.
How to recycle a natural mattress?
You should know that the more natural a mattress is, the more recyclable it is. More than 90% of the components of a natural fiber mattress are recyclable. Whether it is vegetable foams, springs or latex, these materials can be transformed and reused. Natural mattresses are much easier to recycle and limit waste! For example, a natural latex and coconut fiber mattress is fully compostable and biodegradable. To ensure a perfect recycling of your mattress, you must choose a mattress made of natural materials. At the end of its life, the mattress will be disassembled, the components will be separated from each other for an easy recycling.
So to simplify recycling and limit the environmental impact to preserve our planet, choose a mattress , a comforter and pillows made of natural materials and find out about recycling centers near you!
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