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Waste Ban Progress Report📈

Dear Smart Recyclers,

Time flies, and we’re not just saying that because it’s somehow 2025!

It’s been a little over two years since we reported that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) was adding two materials with huge reuse and recycling potential to its waste bans: mattresses and textiles. Our team is excited to share an update on the positive results of the bans.

Long story short, we’re keeping LOTS of good stuff out of the trash.

Animated picture

Before we get into the numbers, let’s rewind to our Waste Bans 101 newsletter for a quick reminder of what we mean by “waste bans.”

A Waste Ban Refresher

The “waste bans” are rules that aim to keep things that are either too good or too bad out of the trash. The overall goals of the waste bans are to:

  1. Promote reuse, waste reduction, and recycling by keeping good stuff out of the trash.
  2. Protect human health and the environment by keeping toxic stuff out of the trash.
  3. Prolong the life of our landfills and incinerators while mitigating their environmental impacts.
  4. Support local recycling and composting businesses by ensuring a reliable supply of materials.

Massachusetts was one of the first states to introduce waste bans. The first one went into effect in 1990 and targeted lead acid batteries. Since then, we’ve added more items to the list, like tires, construction materials, and as of November 2022, mattresses and textiles.

You may have heard that MA has pretty ambitious waste reduction goals. We’re trying to reduce our trash disposal 30% by 2030 and 90% by 2050, from our 2018 baseline. The waste bans are key in helping us meet those goals, and keeping mattresses and textiles out of the trash has already made a major dent in the amount of stuff we’re sending to landfills and waste-to-energy combustors. Go Mass!

Waste Reduction Champs

Mattresses

Mattress parts in a warehouse to be recycledFun fact: Approximately 75% of a mattress can be reused or recycled! From foam and cloth to steel springs and wooden frames, mattresses are layered with valuable material ready for another life. You can see exactly what that looks like with this interactive tool from the Mattress Recycling Council.

In terms of a waste ban, mattresses are of the “too good to trash” variety because of all the good, reusable material inside of them.

Of course, not all mattresses can be recycled. Heavily soiled or bed-bug-infested mattresses are a big NO. That said, the vast majority of mattresses are fine to recycle, so make sure to get rid of your old bed the right way, and let the experts determine if it can be recycled or not.

And now, for the numbers… drumroll, please!

We are thrilled to report the number of mattresses sent for recycling doubled in one year. Yes, you read that right! In 2022, 168,728 mattresses were sent for recycling. By the end of 2023, that number rose to 396,358. That’s impressive!

While the waste ban was a catalyst for this increase, we couldn’t have reached this level of success without cities and towns improving their mattress collection programs 👏. The map below shows the results of an annual trash and recycling survey conducted by MassDEP. Over 63% of the state has access to mattress recycling through municipal programs! Cities and towns shaded gray did not report. Those shaded white either don’t provide trash or recycling services to residents (relying on private haulers instead), or do not have a mattress program in place right now.

Textiles

#ICYMI, we’re big fans of textile recovery – and for good reason. 95% of textiles (aka clothing, footwear, some accessories, and linens) disposed of annually could have been reused, resold, or remade into something new. Yes, even your stained t-shirt or sock with holes could become wiping cloths or carpet fibers!

Boxes of clothes to be recycled in a warehouse

You’re probably aware that textile recovery was happening in Massachusetts before the waste ban, but did you know that access to collection bins has accelerated since 2022? These days, there are thousands of brightly colored bins at town transfer stations, recycling centers, and in all sorts of parking lots (schools, churches, town halls, train stations, you name it!) across the state. We are happy to report that 42,957 tons of textiles were recovered for reuse or recycling in 2022! In 2023, the number was 45,826 tons, and we expect it to continue climbing.

Again, our cities and towns have been instrumental in saving usable materials from the trash. Their partnerships with organizations and businesses have made textile collection convenient for residents across the state.

Looking for outlets for mattresses and textiles?

Always check with your city or town first for a mattress or textile collection program. They may have one that’s easy to access or can direct you to a local outlet. If not, check Beyond the Bin! Our search directory shows nearby places to take your mattresses or textiles to keep them out of the trash. Remember to sort by “distance.”

In Summary

We’re thrilled to see the waste bans doing what they do best – keeping valuable material out of the trash and in use while supporting the local businesses that make the system work. We hope you’re excited to see the waste reduction progress Massachusetts is making, too!

Curious about other ways to participate in our waste reduction efforts? Check out our Reframing the Waste Hierarchy newsletter for some food for thought.

Partner Spotlight: ReThink Disposable

A red bag with the labels for Truro Community Kitchen, Clean Water Fund, and ReThink Disposable
A person wearing gloves putting salad into green containers

Reuse and community resilience can go hand in hand, 🤝 and this month we want to spotlight a prime example of this happening on the Cape. Last year, ReThink Disposable teamed up with the Truro Community Kitchen (TCK) in Truro, MA to fight food insecurity without single-use waste. The goal: to deliver free home-cooked meals to those in need in reusable, returnable containers.

This project, funded in part by a MassDEP Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grant, replaced single-use plastic containers and paper bags with durable alternatives. By switching to reusables, TCK was able to eliminate 100% of their disposable plastics (an estimated 1.2 tons of annual waste reduction) while saving on packaging costs—about $6,700 a year! Along with these savings, the project shows that a returnable packaging system can succeed without relying on smartphones or fees if backed by volunteer support and grounded in strong community relationships. Watch this news story by Lower Cape TV and read the case study for details.

ReThink Disposable is a Clean Water Fund program that works with local governments, businesses, and institutions to stop trash before it starts. Their work with TCK is just one of their reuse efforts in MA; learn more on their website.

📚What We’re Reading

Stay warm,

The Recycle Smart Team at MassDEP