Mattress Disposal in an Apartment: What Are the Rules?

No, you can’t put a mattress in an apartment dumpster. Mattresses and heavy furniture are not permitted in the dumpsters.

The dumpsters are weighed as the trash gets picked up, and the building is charged for the weight. Dumping a mattress in your apartment dumpster can cost you additional charges. 

The Risks Of Throwing A Mattress In The Dumpster 

Chemicals In The Mattress

Sitting on a mattress, you are resting on hundreds of pounds of the chemically treated material. Many of these are recognized carcinogens.

The most popular is the formaldehyde and dangerous coloring combination. When broken down, it is discharged into the air or groundwater supplies, polluting the groundwater or crops if employed in farming.

1. Poisonous outcome

When a mattress is thrown out in the trash, the chemicals from the materials combine with germs and formaldehyde, emitting poisons into the landfill and incineration. 

Dumpsters close to residences can occasionally emit harmful smells. This is a significant issue in particular locations, but it also occurs in larger institutions.

2. Risk Of Fire

Mattresses resemble other furniture items. If they ignite and begin to burn, they pose a fire risk. All dumpster placements must have fire suppression systems installed to safeguard the surrounding structures and staff members from fire exposure.

Mattress fires, as well as fires caused by other combustible materials, including wood, plastic, and rubber, should be avoided by installing fire suppression systems. 

3. Penalty If Not Properly Displaced

Mattresses may not be able to be recycled or properly disposed of for a variety of reasons. However, they still require a secure place to go. That location should not be a dumpster.

If you need to get rid of an old mattress, don’t just throw it in the garbage because you assume it’ll be okay. There might be severe penalties if you do.

How Can Your Old Mattress Be Disposed Of?

If you want to get rid of an old mattress, there are particular actions you can take to guarantee that it is disposed of properly.

Rent A Roll-Off Dumpster

Hiring a dumpster is a fantastic way to eliminate all your rubbish at once if you’re steering clear of an old mattress as part of house cleanup.

When you have a dumpster rental on your site, you can quickly transport your mattress, box spring, and other components into the container and take them away when you finish cleaning. 

Donate It

Consider giving your old mattress to charity, or if you want to get rid of a mattress, you don’t need it. Donating will guarantee that your mattress gets recycled and perhaps used for something else.

Especially if it’s been in use for a long time, this is a better alternative than simply tossing it out because you don’t want to deal with it.

Your mattress need not be in excellent condition, as most charities will accept practically any mattress you are prepared to donate.

Services That Recycle Furniture

Find a company that recycles furniture since giving a mattress away doesn’t imply it will be wasted.

Many furniture recycling organizations will accept any mattress in acceptable shapes, such as flat-top mattresses that are neither outdated nor in poor condition. In most circumstances, it may be recycled after removing the mattress.

Make A Call To Earth 911

They provide services that enable people to find a mattress recycler in their area. The old mattress is removed with their assistance, and a dumpster is made available for disposal.

How Much Does Removing A Mattress Cost?

Depending on the quantity and size of mattresses you’re getting rid of, the provider you select, your location, and other factors, the cost of mattress removal can range from $10 to $700.

An average junk removal service is $297, which typically includes 9 cubic yards of junk or three pickup truck loads.

A dumpster rental will be the most cost-effective solution if you need to get rid of several mattresses and other household waste.

A 20-yard dumpster rental typically costs $447, includes twice that much waste, and can accommodate numerous mattresses and box springs.

You may pick a dumpster size that corresponds to your waste volume when you hire a dumpster to get rid of your mattress and box springs.

The more convenient and effective disposal choice is to retain the dumpster on the property until the cleanup is complete.

Things You Should Never Throw Away In An Apartment’ Dumpster

Understanding what you can and cannot throw in your apartment’s dumpster is crucial. Some of these things might be pretty dangerous.

In contrast, others can result in an annoying fine from your local authority for incorrect rubbish disposal.

Paint And Lacquer Cans

Because many contain lead or mercury, mainly if produced before the 1990s, paint, paint thinner, wood stains, and lacquers are prohibited from being disposed of in dumpsters.

However, you may throw away empty paint cans in dumpsters. You might also put metals like empty, dried-up paint cans in your usual recycling container with other recyclables.

Automobile Batteries

Never dispose of automobile batteries in your apartment trash since they might leak toxic chemicals into the environment. You may recycle old vehicle batteries at your local auto shop.

A dumpster should never be used to dispose of the following battery types:

• Lithium-ion Batteries 
• Lead-acid Batteries 
• Computers Batteries 
• Silver oxide Batteries 
• Rechargeable Batteries 

Alkaline batteries with a wide range of uses (including AA, AAA, C, D, button cells, and 9 Volt) are permitted in dumpsters.

Stickers

Since glue and epoxy might bind other items to dumpster walls, these substances are not permitted in apartment dumpsters. Instead, dispose of these things in ordinary garbage or recycle them.

Tires

Tires cannot be disposed of in dumpsters. This is due to the possibility that methane gasses might be trapped inside a tire’s hollow when it is buried beneath other trash in a landfill.

The methane will make the tire “float” to the top of the dump, pushing away other debris and perhaps causing damage to the equipment and buildings of the landfill.

The easiest way to dispose of tires is to take them to an auto shop, where they may be processed into rubber mulch.

Water Heaters

The void area within a hot water tank can accumulate dangerous gasses in landfills and eventually explode. Therefore you can’t throw one of those in your apartment’s trash can. 

Watch this video to learn – Four Ways to (Properly) Dispose of a Mattress

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is it okay to place a mattress near a dumpster?

No. Mattresses shouldn’t be left near dumpsters since this might lead to unclean conditions. Please get in touch with your neighborhood waste management organization for instructions on how to rid of a mattress appropriately.

Q. Are mattresses completely recyclable?

Yes. When mattresses are recycled, they are physically shredded or stripped with tools.

The various elements, including cotton, foam, polyester, and steel, are removed and sorted before being bundled for additional recycling or creating new products.

Q. Can I put mattresses and other waste in the same dumpster?

As long as none of the things are restricted in your region, and you don’t overfill the dumpster, you may put any old mattresses and home rubbish inside the container when you hire a dumpster.

Q. Can I break my mattress down and discard the components?

To simplify disposal, you can disassemble your mattress, although you might still be charged a disposal cost. If broken down, the mattress might take up less room in your dumpster or rubbish removal vehicle.

Conclusion

Should Mattresses Be Thrown In Apartment Dumpsters? A mattress cannot be thrown away in apartment trash.

To charge the building for the weight of the dumpsters, which are weighed when the garbage is collected. You may incur additional fees if you throw a mattress in the trash at your apartment.