Whether you are down-sizing, or your mattress has reached its end-of-life, often they have been difficult to discard—not any longer! Starting Dec. 30th, it is free to drop off mattresses and box spring foundations at the County’s Waste Management and Recycling locations: North Area Recovery Station and the Kiefer Landfill.

All mattresses and box spring foundations are free to drop off for recycling. Having mattresses and box springs recycled is much better for the environment and is one less unwieldy item to go into the landfill.

Mattresses that are being hauled from outside of California are not eligible for this no-cost recycling program and will be subject to the landfill’s bulky waste disposal fee. Loads of mattresses collected from mattress retailers or charity thrift locations within California will not be accepted at Kiefer Landfill or the North Area Recovery Facility and must be hauled directly to a mattress recycling facility. Visit http://byebyemattress.com/california for recycling facility locations or more information on the new California program.

“Now there is a much more environmentally friendly way to get rid of these old items through the new California mattress recycling program. Our State is second in the nation to begin a statewide mattress recycling program and Sacramento County is proud to have played a significant role,” said Doug Kobold, County Department of Waste Management & Recycling Program Manager and Co-Chair of the California Mattress Recycling Organization Advisory Committee.

Don’t have a vehicle that can transport a bulky item like a mattress? That’s okay—make a Bulky Waste Collection Appointment. It’s free for Sacramento County Waste Management and Recycling customers to have a bulky item pickup of five cubic yards once a year. Each additional pickup is $25. To request a bulky waste pickup, call (916) 875-5555.

Free mattress drop-off is another step to help to reduce illegal dumping. Throughout the year, the County hauls away junk and rubbish that has been illegally dumped, but you can help reduce it further by reporting illegal dumping activities—call 3-1-1 / (916) 875-4311; go online to 311 Connect; or use the Sac County 311 mobile phone app.

Learn more about waste management and recycling in Sacramento County.