Sleep and bed blog SleepJunkie.org discusses the impact of mattress waste and how consumers can make an impact with greener disposal methods.

Austin, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/22/2015 --While most people are aware that paper, glass, aluminum and other household refuse is readily recyclable, it's less commonly known that certain larger items can skip the landfill as well. Mattresses in particular place a significant burden on the environment, with millions ending up in garbage dumps each year.

Sleep Junkie, a website aimed at providing consumer mattress and sleep education, called attention to the subject in a recent article. Posted April 22 in honor of Earth Day, the article, "Why and How to Recycle Your Mattress," describes the impact of mattress recycling and better ways people can dispose of old beds.

According to industry estimates, up to 50,000 mattresses head to landfills each day in the United States, adding up to around 20 million beds per year. Sleep Junkie describes the impact as an issue of space as well as pollution.

The average mattress accounts for about 23 square feet, and the components can take decades and even centuries to degrade. Multiplied in the millions, that means a massive amount of space is being occupied by discarded beds. Some of the materials like foams and chemical additives can also leach into soil and groundwater and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

Rather than sending mattresses to rest in landfills, Sleep Junkie brings awareness to other solutions. Often, people will set their mattress out for trash collection or have the retailer of their new bed pick it up for disposal. However, an increasing number of communities now have public or private recycling facilities capable of taking mattresses, often for very minimal fees. A few states have even enacted mattress recycling laws, with more likely to follow suit.

Old beds can be stripped down and materials repurposed, putting around 90% of the mattresses back to use and dramatically reducing strain on the environment. For people who live in areas without recycling opportunities, the article also highlights a few other ways to repurpose old beds.

Find the article in full at SleepJunkie.org along with several other posts on mattress shopping, sleep news, and more. Readers looking for new eco-friendly mattresses may also be interested in Sleep Junkie's previous guide to organic mattresses.

About SleepJunkie.org
SleepJunkie.org is a blog dedicated to all things sleep, from mattresses, bedding, to research and more. With a focus on making mattress research easier, the website offers independent assessments and reviews of the latest brands and technologies. Readers also enjoy timely updates on mattress-related news and expert help in selecting the best mattress to fit their needs and lifestyle.