King County’s Take it Back Network now includes mattress recycling. In addition, two new firms, Rubbish Works, in Bellevue and A Plus Removal & Recycling, in Auburn, have joined the recycling network.

A fee is charged to cover recycling costs. The fee varies depending on if the mattress is dropped off or is picked up. To drop off a mattress or schedule a pick-up, call Rubbish Works at 425-681-9233 or A Plus Removal & Recycling at 253-737-4441.

Each year, up to 40 million mattresses with box springs are disposed in the U.S., and a single mattress can take up as much as 40 cubic feet of landfill space. In 2011, King County received about 90,000 mattresses weighing more than 3,000 tons for disposal at its transfer stations and landfill.

Mattresses are made of several recyclable materials including polyurethane foam, steel, cotton, and wood, which when separated, can be used in a variety of end-market applications including auto parts, insulation and carpet padding.