Mattress Recycling Council grants available to California recyclers

The Mattress Recycling Council (MRC), which operates the Bye Bye Mattress Program, is now accepting applications for Cycle 2 of its grant program in California. The grants will fund equipment and infrastructure improvements to increase the recyclability of discarded mattresses and box springs by providing weather protection and other collection site efficiencies that lower costs and improve safety. The deadline to apply is November 15, 2019.

Up to $10,000 per site is available to:
• MRC's existing network of no-cost public drop-off sites
• Private solid waste companies, transfer stations, landfills, recycling centers, non-profits and government-owned or controlled entities interested in joining MRC's no-cost mattress recycling network

"We have more than 200 mattress collection sites across California that offer consumers free mattress recycling, a valuable service that is key to the success of the Bye Bye Mattress Program," said MRC's Managing Director Mike O'Donnell. "Providing grant funding to eligible sites will help increase our recycling rate and keep more mattresses out of California landfills."

During Cycle 1, MRC awarded more than $120,000 in grant funding to 15 collection sites throughout the state. The grants awarded will fund construction of weather coverings and cement pads to protect mattress integrity, mobile loading ramps to help with transportation and storage of mattresses, and additional storage space to house and protect mattresses.

Cycle 1 grant awardees include:
• Coalinga Transfer Station (Fresno County)
• Florin Perkins Disposal Site (Sacramento County)
• Foothill Sanitary Landfill (San Joaquin County)
• Green Waste Recovery (Santa Clara County)
• Helendale Community Services District (San Bernardino County)
• Johnson Canyon Landfill & Recycling Center (Monterey County)
• Jolon Road Transfer Station (Monterey County)
• Kingsburg Transfer Station (Fresno County)
• Lovelace Materials Recovery Facility (San Joaquin County)
• Neal Road Recycling and Waste Facility (Butte County)
• North County Recycling Center (San Joaquin County)
• Recology Vallejo (Solano County)
• City of Sanger (Fresno County)
• Sun Street Transfer Station (Monterey County)
• Turlock Transfer Station (Stanislaus County)

The grant program is part of MRC's annual $1 million research fund to improve the recyclability of discarded mattresses and box springs and build new markets for recycled mattress materials in the U.S.. This initiative also includes evaluating and implementing efficiencies in the mattress recycling process.

For more information about the research fund, including grant program eligibility and how to apply, visit www.MattressRecyclingCouncil.o....