In Accordance With New Massachusetts Law, Pittsfield Announces Plan For Disposal Of Mattresses

You may remember being warned about a new Massachusetts law that affects the proper disposal of mattresses. Well, that time has arrived. Effective on Nov. 1, mattresses and other textile items are being banned from landfills.

The City of Pittsfield has a plan, though. On Tuesday, Public Works Commissioner Ricardo Morales will join "Slater and Marjo In The Morning" to expound on what's happening. The following is a release from Pittsfield City Hall.

In accordance with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s disposal ban, which prohibits mattresses for inclusion in waste disposal or transport for disposal beginning Nov. 1, the city of Pittsfield Department of Public Services and Utilities has partnered with Tough Stuff Recycling (TSR) to offer a curbside pickup service for mattresses in the city.

The ban prohibits mattress disposal via the city’s bulky waste sticker program.

Under the new system, residents can schedule a pickup appointment through the company’s online scheduling system at https://order.toughstuffrecycling.com.

TSR’s service fee is $55 per unit. For more information, including a list of mattress recycling frequently asked questions, a link is available on the city’s Public Utilities web page: Mattress Recycling (cityofpittsfield.org),

In addition to mattresses, textiles are also among the items included in the waste disposal ban. These items include clothing, footwear, bedding, towels, curtains, fabric, and similar products. Exceptions include textiles that are contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil, or hazardous substances.

Currently, the city has two drop-off bins with more coming in the near future. These are located at the Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Ave. and at the Morningside Community School, 100 Burbank St.

For more information on textile donation and recycling, please visit here: https://www.mass.gov/guides/textile-recovery.