Ikea introduces national mattress recycling program

Ikea U.S., Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, has introduced a national mattress recycling program.

The Swedish home furnishing company says the new program is keeping with its sustainability strategy of “turning waste into resources.” Ikea launched its People and Planet Positive Sustainability strategy in October 2012. The strategy outlines moves the company plans to make to reach certain sustainability goals by 2020, including using 100 percent renewable energy.

The mattress recycling program includes old mattresses of any brand that are picked up when new Ikea mattresses are delivered, as well as all returned mattresses at Ikea stores.

“The goal is zero waste to landfill, with as much recycling as possible,” says Ikea.

“In keeping with our People and Planet Positive Sustainability strategy, Ikea has decided to take a lead in turning waste into resources. We are committed to securing recycled materials while ensuring key parts of our range are easily recycled—all contributing to a closed loop society,” says Lisa Davis, Ikea U.S. sustainability manager.

An estimated 18 million mattresses with box springs are disposed in the U.S. each year, resulting in approximately 50,000 mattresses a day ending up in landfills across America, the company says. Some of these mattresses are illegally dumped adding to great landfill waste. IKEA understands mattresses need to be recycled to conserve resources such as steel, foam, and wood that is able to be used in new products.

At a minimum, 80 percent of a mattress can be recycled, Ikea says. The fabric and foam can be turned into carpet underlay and the felt and cotton can be recycled into new felt and insulation. The wood is recycled into biofuel or other recycled wood products. The plastic and steel also are recycled.

In addition to the sustainability aspect of recycling mattresses, Ikea has created a community donation program, 5,000 Dreams, that focuses on supporting newly arrived refugee families in local Ikea store communities. Through three partner refugee organizations, Ikea says it has started to donate beds and bedding—5,000 in total in the next two years—to refugee families who are making fresh starts with their families. The three established refugee organizations are the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, the International Rescue Committee and the Ethiopian Community Development Council.

Ikea says the mattress recycling service is offered for a fee of approximately $25, except in California where the service is required to be offered for free by the state due to state regulations, and is offered in all stores. The company says there will be times throughout the year when this service is offered for free if shoppers are an Ikea family member. Mattress removal service is not offered via e-commerce.

Founded in Sweden in 1943, Ikea has more than 392 stores in 48 countries, including 44 in the U.S.