A statewide ban on disposing textiles and mattresses begins in Massachusetts on November 1, 2022. This ban is part of an effort to reduce statewide waste by 30 percent by 2030—or by 1.7 million tons annually.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, roughly 250,000 tons of textiles (clothing, footwear, bedding, towels, curtains, fabric scraps) are thrown in the trash each year. MassDEP’s goal is to cut textile disposal in half by 2030—an annual reduction of 125,000 tons. Clothing, sheets, and other textiles can be resold, turned into cloth, or used as stuffing for teddy bears, car seats, and pillows.
More than 600,000 mattresses and box springs are thrown away every year in Massachusetts, but 75 percent of a mattress is recyclable. Mattresses have wood that can be ground up for mulch, foam that can be used in pet bedding, fabric that can be incorporated into industrial oil filters, and metal that can be sold as scrap and used to make new appliances.
How do you recycle these items?
Below we've included information listed on the Town of Maynard website—as well as some donation options.
From the Town of Maynard:
Mattresses: Maynard residents will have the ability to use the recycle center at the drop-off location at the Highway Garage, 38 Winter Street, during our Recycle Center Saturdays. Cost will be $40 per item, mattress and/or box spring.
The town has also contracted with Tough Stuff Recycling to have curbside pickup services by contacting directly with Tough Stuff Recycling at 1-800-273-4137 or by going to their website. The cost for each item, mattress and/or box spring, will be $50.
Textiles: CMRK [a partner with Big Brother Big Sister Foundation] has been contracted for clothing, textile, and shoe recovery services. There are recovery bins located outside the gate of the Highway Garage located at 38 Winter Street. These bins are accessible 24/7. For additional information, please visit their website.
Local Mattress Donation Options:
Household Goods: Accepts mattresses and bed frames. Offers limited pickup service staffed mainly by volunteers and picks up furniture and large appliances in Acton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Littleton, Maynard, Stow, Sudbury, and Westford. For details and to schedule your pick-up please visit this page.
Fresh Start Furniture Bank: Will take box springs and mattresses (like-new condition with no stains).
Donation Town: This is a directory of Massachusetts charities that offer donation pickup services.
Clothing and Textile Recycling Locations:
Bay State Textiles accepts clothing and textile scraps. There's a bin on the property of Lincoln-Sudbury High School. (Turn left onto Lincoln Rd from Concord Rd, then take the first immediate left and then the next immediate left into the parking circle and you’ll see the bin.)
H&M: Accepts any brand of used clothing as well as textile scraps. Drop off at any H&M location.
Zappos for Good: Provides free shipping labels to recycle old denim and shoes.
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