Month: April 2025

What happens when a mattress is landfilled, or worse, illegally dumped and left in nature? 

Aside from being an eyesore – landfilled or illegally dumped mattresses and box springs can harbor pests, and contribute to environmental degradation. The materials inside — including foam, synthetic fibers, and metal springs — aren’t meant to break down outdoors. They slowly deteriorate, polluting soil and water and potentially threatening local ecosystems. Wildlife can get trapped in the coils, and the flammable materials inside can even pose a fire hazard. (Mattress Recycling Council, California)

That’s why proper mattress disposal matters — and WasteFreeSD.org is here to help.

WasteFreeSD.org is a free resource provided by I Love A Clean San Diego and sponsored by the County of San Diego. Whether you’re cleaning out your garage, moving, or replacing an old bed, the site makes it easy to find nearby recycling centers and collection events that accept mattresses and box springs.

Some recycling options in WasteFreeSD include: EDCO’s Recovery and Transfer, Republic Services, Junk MD, Waste Management, and so many more resources!

The story doesn’t end when you choose to recycle your mattress and box spring — it actually gets a new beginning.

When mattresses and box springs are recycled, up to 80% of the materials can be recovered and transformed into useful new products. The steel springs are melted down and reused in construction or new appliances. The foam padding can become carpet underlay, the cotton can be reclaimed and repurposed and the wood frames are ground into mulch. What was once a wasted resource becomes a valuable part of the circular economy.

By choosing to recycle instead of dump, you’re doing more than just clearing out space — you’re protecting San Diego’s natural spaces, supporting local recycling jobs, and reducing the demand for raw materials. That old mattress might just become part of a playground, a carpet, or even another mattress.

So next time you spot an old mattress leaning against a dumpster or sitting by the side of a rural road, think about the future it could have had.  And when it’s your turn to let one go, don’t let it become waste, give it a second life as something new!.

Visit WasteFreeSD.org, search your ZIP code, and do your part to keep San Diego clean, beautiful, and waste-free — one mattress at a time.

Preventing Pollution at the Source: Top Litter Items Found at San Diego’s Largest Cleanup

Every spring, thousands of volunteers across San Diego County take to the streets, parks, and beaches to fight pollution during San Diego’s largest earth month cleanup event—Creek to Bay. While the goal is to remove waste from the environment, many commonly found items should not have ended up as litter in the first place.  Many of the items found during the cleanup require special handling to be properly recycled or disposed of safely.

What Happens to the Waste We Collect?

San Diego’s largest cleanup is also a recycling education experience for residents. Each Site Captain (the lead volunteer at each cleanup site) is given a recycling cheat sheet provided by San Diego County that determines how the litter will be sorted.

Here are three commonly found items during cleanups and what should be done with them to keep them out of our waterways:

1. Plastic Utensils

Plastic utensils, even if labeled “compostable” are considered landfill waste and should go in the trash.

2. Soft Plastics and Wrappers

Candy wrappers, chip bags, and other soft flimsy plastic belong in the trash. These items can clog the recycling facility sorting lines if put in your recycling bin. Many grocery stores around the county offer soft plastic drop off points. Find one near you at wastefreesd.org

3. Hard Plastics

Water bottles, plastic containers, and other hard plastics should be put in your recycling bin to give them a second life. Remember to be sure these items are empty and dry with minimal food and liquid residue before recycling.

What About Other Odd Finds?

Batteries, E-Waste, and HHW

Batteries, paint, and small electronics like headphones and chargers are some of the most hazardous items found during cleanups. If thrown in regular trash, they can leak toxic chemicals or even start fires in waste trucks and facilities. Staff and volunteers are trained to set these items aside so they can be taken to designated household hazardous waste facilities. You can find a safe disposal site for different Household Hazardous and Electronic Waste items at WasteFreeSD.org.

A Lasting Impact Beyond Cleanup Day

San Diego County Park Ranger Nathaniel Powell emphasizes the importance of protecting our diverse habitats beyond the beaches:

“Since San Diego County is the most biodiverse place in the continental United States, protecting habitats such as chaparral, coastal sage scrub, riparian, and mountain environments is as important as protecting our beaches. Most of the trash that ends up in our oceans comes from inland areas.”

Understanding where to properly dispose of these commonly found items to prevent them from littering our environment is key in ensuring protection of our beaches, parks, canyons, and more.

WastefreeSD.org is an all in one database for your recycling questions. The site will tell you different drop off points across the county for various hard to recycle items, keeping them out of our environment.

Clean Up with Us on April 26th

The County of San Diego, a proud supporter of Creek to Bay, ensures that volunteers have the resources they need to make a real impact. Whether you live near the coast, in a suburban neighborhood, or in a rural community, there’s a cleanup site that needs you.

On Saturday, April 26th, grab your friends and family and be part of the solution. Sign up at creektobay.org and help protect Your Neighborhood, Our Earth.