Most conventional mattresses — built primarily from petroleum-derived polyurethane foam, steel coils, and synthetic fabric — can be partially recycled, but the process is logistically complex and nationally underdeveloped. This guide explains your options: recycling, donation, municipal collection, and what to consider based on what your mattress is made of.

If your mattress is in good, usable condition — no tears, stains, structural damage, or pest history — donation is the most impactful option. A mattress that still provides adequate support can serve a family in need for years, diverting it from landfill entirely while meeting a real need.

Where to donate: Local shelters (homeless, domestic violence, transitional housing), veteran service organizations, refugee resettlement agencies, and furniture banks. Search through the National Furniture Bank Association or call 211 to find local organizations in your area.

What most organizations require: No visible stains, tears, or damage to the cover. No signs of bedbugs or pest activity. Generally, under 10 years old for foam mattresses (though standards vary by organization).

How Avocado returns are handled: Approximately 97.3% of Avocado's eligible returned mattresses were donated in 2025 through a nationwide network of more than 2,000 nonprofit partners. When you purchase an Avocado mattress and return it within your trial window, it doesn't go to a landfill — it goes to an emergency shelter, veteran housing program, or transitional housing organization. This is the most meaningful end-of-life outcome for a mattress in usable condition.

Conventional mattresses are technically recyclable — steel coils, polyurethane foam, cotton batting, and wood are all recoverable materials. In practice, access to mattress recycling depends heavily on where you live.

State mattress recycling programs: California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island have legislated extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs for mattresses — meaning mattress brands operating in those states contribute to recycling infrastructure and consumers have free or low-cost drop-off options. Other states have limited or no organized mattress recycling infrastructure.

Mattress Recycling Council (MRC): The MRC operates the Bye Bye Mattress program in program states. Find drop-off locations at byebyemattress.com.

Private recyclers: Some private mattress recycling companies operate nationally — typically charging a fee of $25–$75. Search for mattress recycling services in your area through Earth911 or your city's waste management website.

A note on organic materials: The organic and natural materials in an Avocado mattress — latex, wool, cotton — do not have the same established disassembly and recycling infrastructure as the steel-and-foam pathways built for conventional mattresses. We are actively evaluating how to participate in or help build end-of-life pathways appropriate for organic materials. Until those pathways are established, donation of usable mattresses and municipal collection for non-usable ones remain the primary options.

Many mattress retailers — including big-box stores — offer old mattress removal when delivering a new one. Some include this service in the delivery fee; others charge separately. Ask at the time of purchase. The retailer typically handles disposal, which may or may not involve recycling depending on their partnerships.

Most cities offer scheduled bulky item pickup for large items, including mattresses. Check your city or county waste management website for scheduling. In areas without recycling programs, bulk collection typically means landfill — but it is still better than illegal dumping and is the appropriate disposal route when recycling is not available.

A conventional foam mattress in a landfill takes decades to break down, releasing compounds from the foam into soil and groundwater over time. The steel coils take centuries. Even the fabric can introduce synthetic fibers and residual chemical treatments into the landfill environment.

An organic mattress built from latex, wool, and cotton has a different end-of-life story — these materials are biodegradable in ways that petroleum-derived foam is not. But biodegradability under landfill conditions is not straightforward: anaerobic decomposition in a sealed landfill proceeds very slowly for most materials. The most meaningful climate action at the end of a mattress's life is extending its useful life through donation, proper care, and choosing longer-lasting materials to begin with. Avocado's GOLS-certified organic Dunlop latex mattresses are backed by warranties of up to 25 years precisely because the material outlasts the replacement cycle that defines conventional foam mattresses.

Yes, in many areas. Conventional mattresses can be disassembled — steel, foam, and fabric are recoverable materials. Access to mattress recycling depends on your location. California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island have organized programs through the Mattress Recycling Council (byebyemattress.com). Other areas may have private recycling options at a fee.

Some furniture banks and charities offer pickup for mattresses in good condition — typically with size limitations and condition requirements. Call ahead to confirm. Organizations more commonly accept drop-off donations than offer pickup due to logistics costs.

Check for mattress recycling drop-off locations at byebyemattress.com. If recycling isn't available in your area, contact your city's waste management office to schedule pickup for bulky items. Do not leave a mattress on the curb without scheduling collection — illegal dumping creates environmental and legal problems.

Approximately 97.3% of Avocado's eligible returned mattresses were donated in 2025 through a nationwide network of more than 2,000 nonprofit partners — supporting emergency shelters, veteran housing programs, refugee services, and addiction recovery centers. Returns are inspected, sanitized, and matched to organizations serving people in need.