Mattress disposal springing into action at yard waste sites

A waste diversion pilot, launching next month, is putting landfilled mattresses to bed. 

Starting April 1, residents will be able to drop off mattresses and box springs at any of the City of Lethbridge’s yard waste sites, during regular operating hours.

“For many years, the default method of disposing of mattresses has been to send them to the landfill,” says James Nicholls, Collections Manager. “However, mattresses are one of the trickiest items to manage in the landfill. They are bulky and extremely difficult to compact. Springs and metal components can also become caught in equipment tracks and create operational challenges for staff.” 

Last May, the City’s Waste & Environment department began diverting mattresses through the Large Item Service. Since then, the program has successfully diverted 381 mattresses and 243 box springs from the landfill. 

“Throughout the past year, we’ve seen strong uptake in mattress diversion through the Large Item Service,” says Nicholls. “Expanding to self‑service drop‑off at our yard waste sites builds on that momentum by giving residents a convenient mattress disposal option while easing pressure on the landfill.” 

Residents are responsible for unloading their own mattresses and box springs. Site attendants are unable to remove mattresses from vehicles or trailers, but will assist with storing them once they are placed on the ground. During peak hours, residents may be asked to place their mattress beside the designated sea-can for later storage by site attendants. 

Mattresses with visible signs of bed bugs are not accepted. Contaminated mattresses must be wrapped in plastic and taken to the Waste & Recycling Centre for disposal. 

The City’s yard waste sites will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., April 1 to November 15: 

• North – 2200 Stafford Drive North 
• South – 2665 28 Avenue South 
• West – 296 Bridge Drive West 

Collected mattresses will be sent to a local recycling processor, where approximately 74 per cent of mattress materials are recycled by weight. 

For more information about the City’s waste diversion programs, visit lethbridge.ca/waste.  

For Public Inquiries:  
Call or chat with 311 | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.