A proven model and practical solution for community-based mattress recycling
Mattresses remain one of the most problematic items for landfills. They take up significant airspace, have low compaction rates, and are hard on landfill equipment. For many small and remote communities, transporting mattresses to centralized recycling facilities is costly and impractical.
With extended producer responsibility (EPR) program delays, communities are left needing solutions they can implement today.
The Rusty Springs Mattress Recycling Program, developed by Penticton and Area Cooperative Enterprises (PACE), uses an on-site, manual disassembly model that is:
Mattresses are disassembled directly at the landfill, keeping a high-volume, problematic item out of the waste stream while creating inclusive, local employment. Recovered materials such as metal and wood remain in the local economy and are managed by the landfill operator.
The Rusty Springs model is not theoretical — it has been operating successfully for more than 15 years.
Last year, PACE:
Disassembled over 6000 mattresses and box springs at 5 landfill sites, and employed 13 people in flexible and sustainable jobs, saving thousands of cubic feet of landfill space!
Simple
Manual disassembly requires minimal tools and no specialized equipment.
Inclusive
Short shifts, flexible scheduling, and a job-share approach create opportunities for people living with barriers to employment.
Impactful
Local recycling reduces transportation emissions, extends landfill life, and delivers measurable social and environmental benefits.
This program is well suited for:
If your community or region is looking for a practical, scalable approach to mattress recycling, this model may be a strong fit.
PACE is sharing the Rusty Springs Mattress Recycling Program Guide free of charge.
The guide includes:
This guide is shared freely to support communities, landfills, and social enterprises looking to reduce landfill waste and create inclusive local jobs.
Please complete the short form below to access the download.
“The Public should know that the PACE board is composed of people just like them who care a whole lot. And that’s how these things take off! Sky’s the limit with everyone’s ideas. Large boards have a high impact in the community; more ideas and more people to see it through.”
Cliff Fraser
Board Member
“PACE has changed in many ways in the 2 years I’ve been here. One thing I’ve noticed is that the business E-Waste Pickup event has gotten more attention. It is awesome to help these businesses out and get donations for the sales/retail side of PACE.”
Anonymous
E-Waste Crew Manager
“PACE has been a supportive partner to the ‘Piers for Peers’ program for over a year. We appreciate the flexibility, supportive and inclusive approach that PACE fosters as well as the opportunity to provide our peers with an introduction to employment.”
Vashti Sullivan
PIERs, Peer Employment Coordinator
“I am proud to be a part of PACE because PACE recognizes that conventional work isn’t for everybody and that it is OKAY! Great to see organizations that offer ‘non-conventional’ work and are flexible with their scheduling.”
Leanne O’Grady
PACE Board Member
“It is amazing to work with PACE, who employs people with barriers, to bring people back into the work force! Everyone takes such pride in their work!”
Wendy Bennett
RDOS, Solid Waste Facilities Coordinator
“Something that everyone should know about PACE is that every dollar spent at PACE goes to the people. There is no one person that benefits from PACE doing well. It truly is a team and one that’s devoted to helping and assisting its people as much as it can.”
Nicole B.
Bookkeeper
“As a tax payer you want your current landfill to last as long as possible! The cost alone to start a new landfill would cost taxpayers millions of dollars. PACE is doing some very important things to keep this place (Campbell Mountain Landfill) alive.”
Don Hamilton
RDOS, Solid Waste Facilities Supervisor
“I’ve received many compliments about the TV pallets that PACE does; ‘best stacked pallets that they pick up’; ‘they are balanced perfectly’; ‘never falls over’.”
Don Hamilton
RDOS, Solid Waste Facilities Supervisor
The company I work for (The Battery Doctors) besides picking up or recycling products, we also collect a number of dangerous hazardous waste products. Without companies like PACE to collect and sort the material, the hazardous products would most likely be deposited in our landfills where a large number of items are biodegradable.”
Gord Gardner
The Battery Doctors
“The Public probably doesn’t realize the reduction of mattresses per year that PACE has done. If PACE had not disassemble and recycled the mattresses & box springs, the air space the mattresses could have taken up could be compared to the size of a hockey arena!”
Wendy Bennett
RDOS, Solid Waste Facilities Coordinator
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