Mattress Recycling
Mattress Recycling
In 2015, Redemptive Developments begun its journey into the world or mattress recycling in the form of its mattress facility, Evergreen Recycling. Through RD’s experience in the junk removal field, it was noticed very early on just how many mattresses Edmontonians were disposing of on a monthly basis. The number of mattress items that would pass through Junk 4 Good’s staff members hands were staggering, and this was only one of many service providers disposing of mattresses within the City. Early on this was a red flag for RD’s staff and management. The conversation around mattress recycling begun years before the facility actually opened, however in 2015 the City of Edmonton implemented a surcharge to dispose of a mattress item at their transfer facilities. This was the catalyst which let Redemptive’s management to lease its warehouse and hire on staff to begin recycling mattress items.
Without a contract in hand, RD’s staff began to collect and pilot its recycling program. Combined with a management trip to DR3’s Oakland California’s Non-Profit Mattress Recycling’s Facility, Redemptive was equipped with a process and a direction to grow into. Since the mattress recycling’s quiet beginnings, Evergreen has now secured the recycling work of many mattress retailers, wholesalers and even manufacturers. Additionally, after many years of lobbying the local government to implement a mattress recycling program, in 2017 Redemptive Developments was successfully awarded the contract to recycle an anticipates 30,000+ units each year.
Since these contracts have been in place, Redemptive has been able to recycle millions of pounds of material and divert it from the waste stream. Not only is Redemptive’s mattress facility accomplishing great environmental success, it has allowed RD to create over 30 full time jobs for local, deserving individuals and that number is always growing. RD is proud to partner with local employment programs such as Job Corps Edmonton, Bissell Centre, McBride Career Group, Working Warriors, Jasper Place Wellness Centre, as well as many other non-profit agencies offering employment and training opportunities to their clients and patrons.
In 2017, Evergreen was able to successfully divert from landfill and recycle over 51,000 mattress items. This equals over 2,000,000 lbs. of materials being removed from the waste stream that would have otherwise been buried in the ground. For more information, please read our 2018 Mattress Recycling Review.
Evergreen now offers recycling services to commercial recycling customers throughout Alberta, British Colombia and Saskatchewan. Please contact us for more information!
Redemptive Developments is proud to have Evergreen Recycling in its portfolio of social enterprises, and be able to invest in our local community in such a significant and diverse way.
