Proof that “Producer TakeBack” can work for a wide variety of hard-to-recycle household products: Connecticut has become the first state to require manufacturers to take back and recycle old mattresses. You can read the full article here.
Connecticut has passed the nation’s first-ever extended producer responsibility (EPR) bill for mattresses that supporters say will save local governments about $1.3 million and increase recycling opportunities for businesses. The law will require mattress manufacturers to finance and manage a mattress collection and recycling program.
Connecticut government officials estimate that municipalities across the state manage more than 175,000 discarded mattresses each year. Up to 95 percent of the mattress materials can be easily recycled — including steel, cotton and foam — but most mattresses in Connecticut are currently shipped to out-of-state landfills or waste-to-energy facilities.
Once signed into law, mattress manufacturers and renovators will be required to fund and manage a single stewardship organization, called the council, that will provide free collection and recycling services to municipalities, which include storage containers for municipalities to aggregate mattresses at transfer stations. A fee paid by mattress producers will fund the program. The producers will pass the fee onto retailers, who will then pass it on to consumers at point-of-sale.
Connecticut isn’t alone; California may become the next state to take action. Producer TakeBack is gaining ground. What other household products will be added to the list next?
Filed under: Producer TakeBack Recycling
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