Bag it up: your old mattress can make a difference
Aberdeenshire Council is working with Stella’s Voice to provide a mattress cleaning and reuse service via Inverurie and Ellon household recycling centres that will benefit vulnerable people across the region and beyond.
In Scotland, a staggering 600,000 mattresses are disposed of each year with less than one in ten of those being collected for recycling or reuse. Many of these mattresses could be reused for a greater cause than incineration or landfill.
Bagged, good, clean mattresses can now be taken to either Inverurie or Ellon household recycling centres where they will be quality checked. The council will deliver the mattresses to Stella’s Voice to be professionally cleaned and disinfected with new equipment funded through the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund.
Mattresses suitable for reuse must have...
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A blue fire label with the code BS7177 present,
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No rips or tears,
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No heavy staining, and
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A bag protecting them that can be collected for free from either Inverurie or Ellon household recycling centres or from Unit 7 on Harlaw Way in Inverurie.
Stella’s Voice will either sell the mattresses through its reuse shop to generate funds or use them directly in its humanitarian efforts to support vulnerable people and those in most need.
Stella’s Voice CEO Mark Morgan said: “Demand on our services has never been greater—both locally and overseas. We respond to referrals from local authorities, including Aberdeenshire Council as well as other charities or agencies, to support people with emergency re-housing essentials such as mattresses or other furniture.
“Requests for help, especially for items such as mattresses, are at an all-time high—with no let-up in sight. It's alarming to realise how many people do not have a mattress or even a bed to sleep on.”
Aberdeenshire Council's Homeless Service also orders reuse items to furnish temporary accommodation. A stock of clean mattresses is necessary at short notice for emergencies and allows the team to work closely with people as they move on to permanent accommodation.
The council’s Refugee Resettlement Team access mattresses through Stella’s Voice and it is hoped that, with the new mattress cleaning and reuse, its clients can get quality mattresses for a fraction of the price.
Chair of the council’s Infrastructure Services Committee (ISC) Cllr Alan Turner said: “By collaborating with Stella's Voice, we are not only tackling the significant issue of mattress waste but, more importantly, providing vital support to vulnerable individuals and families.
“It does require the additional effort of bagging good, clean mattresses for reuse, instead of just disposing of them. However, we are confident that there are many in Aberdeenshire who will be eager to help protect our environment and those in need.”
Head of Resource Management at Zero Waste Scotland Stuart Murray said: “Zero Waste Scotland is delighted to champion Aberdeenshire Council's groundbreaking work in mattress reuse, thanks to the Recycling Improvement Fund— a Scottish Government fund designed to help local authorities improve recycling services and infrastructure nationwide.
“This project helps tackle the growing issue of bulky waste while delivering vital support to local people.”
Extending the life of mattresses through reuse expands access to a low-cost alternative for those seeking mattresses on a limited budget. It also conserves valuable resources such as steel, foam, and wood, reducing the demand for new materials and the energy required to extract and process them.
The council welcomed funding from The Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund to progress the mattress reuse project. The fund gives local authorities the opportunity to take forward projects that increase the quality and quantity of recycling while delivering wider environmental benefits. Zero Waste Scotland manages and administers the Fund across its five-year life.
Pictured is the bag needed for mattress reuse on a mattress showing the blue fire label with the code BS7177.
