How To Get Rid Of A Mattress In Atlanta (5 Local Options)
If you live in Atlanta you may have realized mattresses are becoming harder and harder to dispose of. Many of the landfills and donation centers no longer accept them due to sanitary concerns and their inability to compress and break down.
Thankfully, there are many affordable and environmentally friendly ways residents can dispose of their old mattresses in Atlanta. If you’re thinking of heading to the landfill, remember:
Mattresses are extremely large, and cannot be easily compressed. Most landfills in the U.S. are no longer accepting mattresses, so you may need to explore other avenues.
Even if you do find a landfill that accepts mattresses, we’d advise against using it.
Dumping your mattress at a landfill isn’t great for the environment, especially when there are so many other eco-friendly alternatives available!
5 Options for Mattress Disposal in Atlanta
Option #1: A Bedder World Mattress Recycling (Atlanta) – Curbside Pick Up
Bedder World is one of the most popular and easiest eco-friendly ways to get rid of a mattress for Atlanta residents.
You can book and pay for a mattress removal online here. Pick ups are offered 7 days a week in the Atlanta area, serving a 50+ mile radius of the city. Simply put your mattress outside on the day of pick up and a driver will come by and grab it.
To date Bedder World has recycled over 1 million mattresses and saved over 26 million sq.ft. of landfill space. They also accept box springs, beds, frames, toppers, futons and bedding .
- Serving a 50+ mile radius around Atlanta (including Marietta, Athens, Fayetteville, Alpharetta, McDonough, Carrollton and MORE
- Over 1 million mattresses recycled
- Residential and Commercial Services
- Easily book online
Option #2: Drop It Off At CHaRM
If you have a car and some free time on your hands, we’d recommend dropping your mattress off at The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) for a small fee. (must book appointment first)
This non-profit drop-off facility has sustainability at its core.
CHaRM wants to improve the environmental health of Atlanta by diverting hazardous waste and bulky items away from the landfills and water systems in Atlanta, so when you take your mattress here, you’ll be making a big difference to the city!
If you want to drop off your items at CHaRM, you’ll need to book an appointment.
This helps prevent large queues, and it also allows CHaRM to qualify for certain grants and sponsorships that help keep the service running. Here are the rules you’ll need to follow if you’re disposing of your mattress here:
- Your materials should be pre-sorted
- Items must be clean and dry
- You will NEED an appointment, and you should arrive within 15 minutes of your appointment
If you’re having a spring clean, you can also bring down plenty of other items to CHaRM. Here’s a list of other items that can be disposed of at CHaRM:
- Mixed Cardboard and Paper
- Musical Instruments
- Electronics
- Bicycles
- Paint
- Chemicals
- Compost
- Cooking Oil
- Textiles
- Tires
- Flat Glass
- Appliances
- Metals
- Books
- Cigarette Butts
- Plastic
Although some items can be disposed of free of charge, residents and businesses will have to pay $15 per mattress or box spring.
Option #3: Donate It
UPDATE: Most of the donation centers we contacted or no longer accepting mattresses due to sanitary concerns. We suggest calling before dropping off a mattress.
If your mattress is in decent condition you may be able to find a donation center to accept it. This is a great way to ensure your mattress can still be utilized by someone who needs it rather than it being disposed of. Donation centers only accept mattresses in good condition that are less than 5 years old without and rips or stains and no bed bugs. You will likely need to sanitize and bag your mattress before dropping off.
Donation Places to check:
Atlanta Mission
Administrative Office located at
2353 Bolton Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Donations are accepted:
Monday – Friday: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Goodwill of North Georgia
Address: 160 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30308
Our Services:
- Secure, Attended Donation Location
Donation Center
Phone: 404-917-1684
Mon-Sun: 10am – 6pm
4: Sell It On Atlanta Craigslist or Facebook
If your mattress is in good condition, why not give it a new home and sell it or give it away online? Ideally, we should all be replacing our mattresses every 6-8 years, but sometimes, you need to do it sooner.
If you’re buying a new mattress, don’t throw away an older but perfectly good model. There is a huge market online for second hand mattresses. People will pay a good amount of money for a quality second-hand mattress.
If you’re not sure where to start, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, and Craigslist can be excellent options. Just make sure to take nice clean pictures and ensure buyers there are no stains and no bed bugs.
Option #5: DIY Mattress Recycling
If you want to take matters into your own hands, then recycling the mattress yourself is a great and eco-friendly options.
Simply cut off the cover and separate the foam and metal inside.
The metal can be dropped at a local scrap metal yard where it will be melted down and recycled. They will weigh it and give you some money based on the final weight.
The foam can be dropped at a carpet manufacturer who will shred the foam and use it to make carpet padding. We recommend calling around to local Atlanta carpet companies and see who will accept used foam, they will likely even pay you something for it.
The Bottom Line
Atlanta residents will be pleased to know that there are plenty of sustainable, affordable, and accessible ways to dispose of their old mattresses.
Whether you want a home pickup or you’re willing to drop off the mattress at a recycling center, you’ll find the right option for you.
And if your mattress is in good condition, you may even be able to sell it!
