According to the National Bed Federation (NBF), 4.75 million mattresses end up in landfill or are incinerated every year in the UK. Mattresses are bulky and hard to get rid of, but most of one can be recycled: the NBF says springs can go with other scrap metal, while foam may be recycled into carpet underlay or sent to a waste-to-energy plant along with the cover fabric.
1. Ask the retailer that delivers your new one
Some retailers and makers will take away your old mattress when they deliver a new one, often for a fee. The NBF suggests asking what they do with the mattresses they collect, and buying from one that recycles them. For example, Sleepeezee lists a paid collection-for-recycling service when you buy from it (not available for its Jack mattress or in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, as of 3 October 2026).
2. Use your council
Most councils run a collection service for bulky items, and you can usually take a mattress to a household waste recycling centre (the tip). Services and charges vary: the NBF says some councils have separate mattress collections or a contract with a mattress recycler, while elsewhere you may need to take it to the tip yourself.
- Search for your council's mattress service on the NBF's Mattress Disposal site.
- Or find your local council on GOV.UK and look for "bulky waste".
3. A private collection service
The NBF says private collectors operate in most areas of England and Wales and "typically charge between £30 and £50 for a standard double mattress" (its figure; prices vary). Check that any collector is a properly licensed waste carrier and that they recycle rather than just dispose. In England you can check a business on the Environment Agency's public register of waste carriers.
Avoid the "man with a van"
The NBF warns about van collectors who offer to take bulky waste for a charge: "Many simply fly tip what they pick up", and some recover old mattresses to look new and sell them on as "bankrupt stock". Fly-tipping is illegal — GOV.UK's examples of fly-tipping include "1 or 2 pieces of furniture" — and the NBF's Mattress Disposal site warns it's a serious criminal offence. If you see a dumped mattress in England, Scotland or Wales, report it to your council.
Can I give it away?
Think carefully about passing on a used mattress. The NBF advises against second-hand mattresses for children, and The Lullaby Trust recommends a new mattress for each baby where possible. If you want to donate one, ask the organisation first — policies vary.
Make the next one last
Looking after a mattress keeps it out of the waste stream for longer — see how long a mattress lasts and how to care for it. The NBF also encourages buying from makers who design mattresses "with end-of-life in mind".