Woolroom issues warning on mattresses being sent to landfill

According to the National Bed Federation, seven million mattresses are discarded in the UK every year, with an estimated 75% of these failing to be recycled, contributing significantly to the growing landfill problem polluting our planet.

Woolroom said that this equates to 125 miles of mattresses sent to the landfill every week, which it has illustrated in new graphics.

The graphics show that when a standard two metre king-size mattress is placed end-to-end, the UK’s unrecycled mattresses would stretch for 10.5 million metres. This is equivalent to 6,524 miles, enough mattresses to circle the entire UK coastline more than 28 times – or to roughly stretch from London to Kuala Lumpur.

The graphics also show that it is equal to:

• 652 of England’s tallest building, The Shard, stacked on top of each other.
• The length of 1,916 football pitches end-to-end.
• 206 of England’s tallest mountain, Scafell Pike, piled on top of each other.
• 47,317 double-decker buses piled above each other.

Chris Tattersall, sleep expert and managing director of Woolroom, said: “The UK is a relatively small island with a large population. We all need to recognise that there is only so much space for landfill and we need to be proactive in finding a solution rather than waiting until we can’t ignore the issue any longer.

“By presenting these shocking statistics with new, bold graphics as part of our Mattress Landfill Crisis Campaign, we want to help the UK visualise and wake up to the true impact that unrecycled mattresses are having on our planet, and how we must come together to change the way we all approach sleep and sustainability.

“By choosing natural, recyclable materials, investing in mattresses that are made to last, and disposing of them responsibly when the time comes, we can create a world where restful sleep and environmental responsibility go hand-in-hand.”

The public should contact their local authority to find out if they offer mattress recycling.