After years of denying there was a mattress dumping problem in Norwalk, the City of Norwalk is attempting to solve the problem by providing a pickup service for old mattresses and box springs. The state of Connecticut legislature passed a law requiring that mattresses and box springs be recycled. Along with Rhode Island and California, this was enough for the Mattress Recycling Council to be formed with the intent of solving the problem of what to do with all those old mattresses.
The result, Bye Bye Mattress offers no-cost opportunities for Connecticut residents to discard their used mattress. In Norwalk’s case, that means on Saturdays now through September the Norwalk Public Works Center on Smith Street, will host an event where you can drop off your old mattress and box spring. The hours are 8 am to 1 pm. And, on April 30, 2022, June 25, 2022, and September 24, 2022, Norwalk will come to your house and pick them up. Hopefully, that will include apartment buildings and condos, but it is unclear. And of course, the City seems unaware that there are neighborhoods that do not receive garbage pickup, so it is unclear how that will work.
Overall 140 communities offer direct access to the program through transfer stations, public works yards, collection events, and municipal curbside pick-up programs. Surprisingly the MRC claims that there are 297 other public and private entities across Connecticut that participate in the program including mattress retailers, hotels, universities, junk haulers, and apartment complexes. Three public drop-off locations are also available to state residents (check their website or call 1-855-700-9973).
Norwalk provides information here norwalkct.org/3127/Mattress-Recycling or you can contact customer service at 203-854-3200.
