Disposing of an old mattress can often feel like a Herculean task. They’re bulky, difficult to transport, and you can’t just leave them out with the regular trash. If you’re a resident of San Diego wondering Where To Dump Mattress For Free, you’re in luck! The City of San Diego, in partnership with the Mattress Recycling Council’s Bye Bye Mattress program, offers a convenient and cost-free solution for mattress and box spring disposal.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about free mattress disposal at the Miramar Landfill, ensuring you can responsibly get rid of your old mattress without any hassle or fees.
A logo of Bye Bye Mattress program, highlighting its role in mattress recycling.
Free Mattress Drop-off Location in San Diego
The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department provides a designated Mattress Collection Site at the Miramar Landfill. This site is part of the Bye Bye Mattress program, making it easy for residents to recycle their old sleep surfaces for free.
Here’s the essential information you need:
- Location: Miramar Landfill, 5161 Convoy St., San Diego, CA 92111. The Mattress Collection Site is specifically located on the east side of the entrance, next to the Household Hazardous Waste Transfer Facility.
- Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please note that the site is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Holiday Closures: The Mattress Collection Site is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
- Contact: For any queries, you can contact the Environmental Services Department of the City of San Diego.
Image showing the designated mattress drop-off area, ensuring proper disposal and recycling.
What Types of Mattresses and Box Springs are Accepted?
To ensure your items are accepted for free recycling, it’s important to know what is and isn’t permissible at the Miramar Landfill Mattress Collection Site.
Accepted Items:
- Mattresses: This includes all types of mattresses covered with ticking or fabric, regardless of size or shape, even foam mattresses.
- Box Springs (Foundations): These are ticking or fabric-covered structures designed to support a mattress, whether stationary or adjustable.
- Futon Mattresses: Futon mattresses are accepted, but they must be removed from their frames or bases to be eligible for recycling. Futon mattresses still attached to their frames will not be accepted.
Important Conditions for Acceptance:
- Items must be used and discarded within California.
- Items must not be severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen, soiled, or infested with bedbugs. These conditions can hinder the recycling process and pose health risks.
A photograph depicting two individuals carefully unloading a mattress from a pickup truck, ready for recycling.
Unacceptable Items for Free Mattress Disposal
While the program is comprehensive, certain items are not accepted for free mattress recycling. Knowing these exclusions will save you time and prevent any inconvenience at the drop-off site.
Items Not Accepted:
- Severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen, or soiled mattresses or box springs.
- Mattresses infested with bedbugs.
- Mattress pads or toppers.
- Sleeping bags and cots.
- Pillows, cushions, blankets, sheets, and other loose bedding.
- Car beds.
- Infant carriers, lounge pads, or crib bumpers.
- Juvenile products like carriages, baskets, cribs, crib mattresses, bassinets, dressing tables, changing pads, strollers, playpens, or crib bumpers.
- Waterbeds, collapsible rollaway beds, or camping air mattresses.
- Foldout sofa beds, futon frames/bases (unless the futon mattress is detached).
- Household furniture.
- Mattresses or box springs in cardboard boxes or plastic bags. Items should be dropped off as they are.
Image of a neatly arranged stack of mattresses awaiting the recycling process, showcasing organized collection.
Why Recycle Your Mattress? Understanding the Bye Bye Mattress Program
The Bye Bye Mattress program isn’t just about providing a free disposal service; it’s about promoting environmental responsibility and sustainability. Funded by a recycling fee on each new mattress and box spring sold in California, the program ensures that old mattresses are diverted from landfills and recycled into new products.
Key Benefits of Mattress Recycling:
- Environmental Conservation: Mattresses take up significant space in landfills. Recycling them conserves valuable landfill space and reduces the environmental impact of waste disposal.
- Resource Recovery: Mattresses are made of valuable materials like steel, foam, fibers, and wood. These materials are separated during recycling and reused to create new products such as carpet padding, construction rebar, insulation, filters, and mulch.
- Combating Illegal Dumping: By providing free and accessible recycling options, the Bye Bye Mattress program helps reduce illegal mattress dumping, keeping communities cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing.
- Supports San Diego’s Zero Waste Goals: The program assists the City of San Diego in achieving its ambitious Zero Waste Plan, contributing to a more sustainable future for the city.
To find other mattress recycling locations near you, you can also visit the official Bye Bye Mattress website: ByeByeMattress.com/find-a-facility/
Frequently Asked Questions About Free Mattress Disposal in San Diego
Can I drop off my mattress/box spring for free?
Yes! The Miramar Landfill Mattress Collection Site is a participating collection point under the Bye Bye Mattress program, offering free drop-off for mattresses and box springs that meet the acceptable conditions. There is no drop-off limit for residents. However, landfill fees may apply if mattresses are brought in with other types of waste.
What happens to mattresses that are too soiled or contaminated to recycle?
Unfortunately, mattresses and box springs that are severely damaged, wet, twisted, frozen, soiled, or infested with bedbugs cannot be recycled. These items must be disposed of as trash.
I didn’t buy a mattress recently. Can I still drop it off for free?
Absolutely. The free drop-off and recycling service is available for any mattress, regardless of when it was purchased, as long as it meets the condition criteria (not wet, heavily soiled, or infested with bedbugs).
Can I drop off other bedding-related items for free, too?
No, the free program specifically accepts only traditional mattresses and box springs. Futon mattresses are accepted if detached from their frames. Other items like mattress pads, toppers, pillows, bedding, and furniture are not eligible for free drop-off under this program.
What is the Bye Bye Mattress program?
Bye Bye Mattress is a mattress recycling program operating in California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. It is managed by the non-profit Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) and funded through a recycling fee collected on each mattress and box spring sold in these states. The program aims to efficiently collect, transport, and recycle used mattresses, reducing landfill waste and illegal dumping.
Who is the Mattress Recycling Council?
The Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) is a non-profit organization created by the mattress industry to operate recycling programs in states with mattress recycling laws. For more information, visit MattressRecyclingCouncil.org.
Will MRC or Bye Bye Mattress pick up my mattress/box spring from my home?
No, the Bye Bye Mattress program is a network of collection sites and recyclers and does not offer curbside pickup services for individuals. Similarly, the City of San Diego does not provide bulky item pickup for mattresses. You will need to transport your mattress to the Miramar Landfill Mattress Collection Site yourself.
By utilizing the free mattress drop-off service at the Miramar Landfill, San Diego residents can responsibly dispose of their old mattresses, contribute to environmental sustainability, and support the city’s Zero Waste goals. Knowing where to dump mattress for free makes the process simple and eco-friendly.
