Questions may be edited for length and clarity. We need a new mattress for our second bedroom, and my boyfriend wants to buy a used one off Craigslist. Is this icky or eco? Or so I would have said, before I actually began researching what happens to old mattresses when they die; what I uncovered, however, is way ickier: Twenty million mattresses, heaved into the trash every year. That's in the United States alone. Here, all those springs and stuffing amount to over 450 million cubic feet of landfill space. Lay out those mattresses end to end though, and they would stretch out over 25,000 miles -- enough to circumnavigate the globe. If picturing a ring of Posturepedics around the planet isn't enough to make you shudder, then maybe carcinogenic contamination will: Conventional mattresses contain toxic chemicals like flame retardants, formaldehyde, and phthalates, which can leach from the landfill into our drinking water. Then there's the possibility of polluting our air with even more of these chemicals, since difficult-to-compress mattresses create flammable air pockets that can increase the risk of landfill fires.
And let's not forget about the sheer danger, too, for sanitation workers who regularly have to remove these bulky items manually from heavy machinery when the springs and coils get caught. So maybe your boyfriend's impulse to save a mattress from a landfill death isn't so loathsome, after all? As a friend who works in the hospitality industry recently pointed out, anyone who's ever stayed a night in a hotel (whether it's a Holiday Inn or the Four Seasons) has shared a bed with thousands of others before him. What's the big deal about sleeping on a mattress that had one previous owner? Simply put: bed bugs. The age-old childhood bedtime caution, "Don't let the bed bugs bite!" has now become a nationwide epidemic; infestations of the blood-sucking pests have become so widespread that the Environmental Protection Agency has gotten involved. (It hosted its Second National Bed Bug Summit this past February.) While bed bugs aren't known to spread disease, they can plague those afflicted with intensely itchy bites and the bloodstained fecal mess they leave in their wake.
Because they're so insidious -- surviving up to 18 months in the tiny cracks of wood furniture without so much as a morsel -- many eradication experts recommend steering clear of secondhand furniture like upholstered chairs and wood dressers altogether, let alone used mattresses and box springs. If you have a high squeamish factor and still wish to buy pre-owned, examine the mattress carefully for the telltale signs of infestation, and place it in a protective encasement before you bring it into your home. (Beware, by the way, those "new" mattresses that are advertised on Craigslist. According to green living expert Danny Seo, those may be old curbside mattresses masquerading as new, thanks to the addition of a fresh fabric cover and a layer of shrink wrap.) But I say the risk of buying a used mattress isn't worth it. If you do wind up with bed bugs and they spread to your other belongings, you'll be sending more stuff to the landfill than just your mattress. Then, too, there are the chemicals that may have to be used in your home by a professional pest management company to eradicate the insects.
(DIY pest control isn't recommended, since it can make bed bugs spread.) Is there a trusted friend or family member who could hand down a mattress instead? Your best option: Invest in a high-quality mattress made from natural and biodegradable materials. One company, Essentia, makes its petroleum- and VOC-free memory foam mattresses from natural latex, a renewable resource that comes from the rubber tree plant. Shepherd's Dream wool mattresses are designed to last decades, and can even be sent back to the company for refurbishing. Not surprisingly, these come with a higher-than-average price tag. But when you consider that a conventional spring mattress needs to be replaced every five to seven years, you may decide that the long-term investment (for you and the planet) is worth it. Of course, we can't close a conversation about buying a new (or new-used) mattress without discussing what to do with your old one. You wouldn't know it, based on how many of them are kicked to the curb, but old mattresses can, in fact, be recycled.
or this list here you can't find a recycling facility near you, donate the mattress to someone who really needs it, via The Salvation Army or Freecycle. Just make sure your offering is free of bed bugs; no one wants to reuse a batch of those.Let friends in your social network know what you are reading aboutTwitterGoogle+LinkedInPinterestPosted!A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Log InSubscribed, but don't have a login?Register your digital access.Buying a used mattress might not be such a good dealI love a good deal. I love thrift stores and garage sales, and I will openly brag about my amazing finds.It feels good to save money! But sometimes you must ask yourself — at what cost?It's an important question when considering certain goods that may have been used before. Sometimes, it can be tough know the history of what you're looking at, especially if it's being marketed as new. It's a big challenge when it comes to mattresses.A used mattress may save you money, but it also could cost you big time in the end, because of issues you may not be able to see with the naked eye."
"Pet dander, bodily fluids, dust mites and other allergens can cause respiratory problems and also allergic reactions. And then, of course, bed bugs."It makes you itch just to read this, doesn't it?These little buggers can take a huge bite out of your wallet if you don't know that they've hitched a ride into your home through that used mattress. They can hide in the seams or in your box spring. You may not even know they're there until they announce themselves with red, itchy bites all over your body."You sort of have to weigh the difference," Smith said. "The cost savings in getting the used mattress vs. what you could be bringing into your home and what you may have to pay to get rid of that."But what if you think you're buying a new mattress? It happens more than you think. The Federal Trade Commission continues to warn about used mattresses being passed off as new in stores across the country. And you can't let the heavy plastic around the mattress fool you. It could still be used.So, how do you know for sure?
The FTC says you should look at the tag. In most cases, a new mattress has a white tag that says "All new materials." If you see a red or yellow tag, then it's probably used. You may also see certain words indicating it's used: sanitized, rebuilt or reconditioned.Federal law requires mattresses with used materials to be labeled as such.If there's no tag, the FTC says you should shop elsewhere. If you're not sure, federal officials suggest you ask the retailer to write the word "new" on your sales receipt. If it turns out that mattress is used, you'll have a stronger case on down the line.But, as Smith said, it's all about being an educated consumer."With all purchases, I think you have to do your research," she said. Maybe you can find a mattress that was never used before but was discounted because the person didn't want it. It didn't fit in their apartment. They just need to get rid of it. That could be a great deal! But the important thing is that you do your research and really compare what you're getting vs. what you're saving."