Big Red Moving Company — Hingham, MA
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Mattress Disposal

Mattress & Box Spring Disposal in Massachusetts

You can't put it on the curb anymore — Massachusetts banned mattresses and box springs from disposal in 2022. We pick yours up from wherever it is and take it to be recycled.

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Why You Can't Just Throw It Away

As of November 1, 2022, MassDEP added mattresses, box springs and textiles to the state's waste disposal ban list. That means they can no longer be landfilled or incinerated in Massachusetts, and haulers, transfer stations and disposal facilities are not permitted to accept them for disposal. In practice this is why your town stopped taking mattresses at the curb, why the transfer station turns them away, and why the old advice to just put it out on trash day no longer works. Mattresses are also one of the most recyclable bulky items there is — the steel, foam, fibre and wood in them are all recoverable, which is much of the reason for the ban.

How We Handle It

We come to wherever the mattress actually is. You don't need to wrestle a king-size box spring down a staircase or out to the curb before we arrive — most of our mattress pickups come out of second-floor bedrooms, and that's the service. We take mattresses and box springs in any size and any condition, including sets, bunk mattresses, futons and pull-out couch mattresses, and route them for recycling rather than disposal. Bed frames, headboards and the rest of the bedroom set can go on the same trip if you want them gone too.

Textiles Are Banned Too

The same November 2022 rule change banned textiles from disposal — clothing, footwear, bedding, curtains, fabric and scraps. The rule applies even to items that are worn, torn or stained, which surprises most people; those still go to textile recovery rather than the trash. The exception is textiles that are wet, mouldy or contaminated with oil or hazardous substances, which can't be recovered. If you're clearing a bedroom or doing a seasonal purge, we can take the bedding and clothing along with the mattress in the same pickup.

What It Costs

Mattress pickup is quoted flat-rate like the rest of our work, and a single mattress or a mattress-and-box-spring set is at the small end of what we do. It's cheapest per item when it goes with other things — if you're already clearing a bedroom, a basement or a whole house, the mattress rides along rather than being its own trip. Call us with what you've got and where it is in the house and we'll give you a number on the spot.

Questions

Can I still put a mattress out with the trash in Massachusetts?
No. Since November 1, 2022, mattresses and box springs are on the MassDEP waste disposal ban list, so they can't be landfilled or incinerated in the state. Municipal curbside programs and transfer stations aren't permitted to take them for disposal. Some towns run a separate mattress recycling program with its own fee and rules — check with your DPW — and otherwise you need a hauler who takes them for recycling.
Do you take stained, torn or bed-bug mattresses?
Stained and torn, yes — condition doesn't stop a mattress being recycled and it doesn't change our price. Anything with an active bed bug infestation is different: tell us before we arrive so we can bag and handle it properly rather than carrying it through the house uncontained.
Do I need to get it downstairs before you come?
No. We'll go up and get it. Second-floor bedrooms are where most of our mattress pickups come from, and a king box spring that won't make the turn on a staircase is a normal part of the job.
Can you take the bed frame and headboard too?
Yes, and it's usually the sensible thing to do since we're already there. Frames, headboards, footboards, slats and the rest of the bedroom furniture can all go on the same pickup. Metal frames get recycled.
What about old clothes and bedding?
Those are covered by the same 2022 rule — textiles are banned from disposal in Massachusetts, including worn, torn and stained items. We can take clothing, bedding, curtains and fabric along with the mattress and route them to textile recovery. The one exception is anything wet, mouldy or contaminated with oil or chemicals.

We Also Do

Estate CleanoutsLearn More →Garage CleanoutsLearn More →Basement & Attic CleanoutsLearn More →Furniture & Appliance RemovalLearn More →All Junk RemovalSee Service Area →

Get a Mattress Picked Up

Tell us the size and where it is in the house. We'll give you a flat price and take it for recycling.

Get a Free Quote320-321-JUNK