How to get rid of your old mattress? The eco-friendly guide

Every year in Canada, approximately 6 million mattresses end up in landfills. Stacked on top of each other, they form a pile higher than Everest. That's a lot of foam, a lot of metal, and a lot of avoidable waste. The good news? There are three concrete ways to say goodbye to your old mattress without guilt:

• resell it or give it to someone you know,
• donate it to a charity,
• drop it off at an ecocentre.

We explain everything.

Option 1 — Resell or give to a friend or family member

The best way to get rid of a mattress is still to give it a new life directly. No environmental impact, and someone else gets to enjoy it.

If your mattress is in good condition, list it for sale on Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji, two platforms every Quebecer knows. You might even make a few hundred dollars in the process.

And if your mattress has been through a few... too intense adventures to be sold, think of your inner circle. Who knows, it might be exactly what your cousin John-Oliver needs — he's been sleeping on the floor since his rushed move after a disastrous breakup.

Option 2 — Donate to a charity

If your mattress is in good condition but no one close to you needs it, several charities accept bedding donations. It's a concrete way to help families in need.

Organizations that accept mattresses in Quebec and Canada

Many organizations accept mattresses in good condition to redistribute them to people in need, or to fund their humanitarian activities. Some even offer a home pickup service.

Alberta:

Edmonton Emergency Relief Services — 780-428-4422

Quebec:

• Centre de bénévolat et moisson Laval — 450-471-0017
• Société de Saint-Vincent de Paul — 450 475-7609
• Le Support — 450 330-3317
• Centre d'entraide de Charlesbourg — 418 845-0130

Ontario:

Emmaus — Gatineau/Ottawa — 819 664-8120

Vancouver:

L'Esprit des Enfants Vancouver — 604-524-9113

To find other drop-off points near you, check the official RECYC-QUÉBEC portal, the provincial reference for eco-responsible waste management.

Option 3 — Drop off at an ecocentre

Is your mattress too worn out to be donated? The ecocentre is the best option. This is where mattress recycling truly shines, and the numbers are impressive.

Why is it the best option for the planet?

A properly recycled mattress sees between 95% and 99% of its materials returned to the productive cycle. Specifically:

• steel springs are melted down and reused in the metallurgical industry,
• urethane foams are transformed into underlays and insulation panels,
• polyester fibers become padding for car headrests or acoustic insulation,
• cotton and wool are recovered for other textiles.

Ecocentres of the City of Montreal accept mattresses free of charge for residents. Check the City of Montreal website or RECYC-QUÉBEC to find the ecocentre closest to your home and verify their hours.

Polysleep's commitment: your returned mattresses get a second life

When you order a Polysleep mattress and try it during your 100-night trial, you might wonder what happens to returned mattresses. The answer is simple: they are never destroyed.

Polysleep redistributes returned mattresses under its trial program to over 100 charities across Canada. Families in transition, shelters, hospices — many people receive a quality mattress instead of one ending up in a landfill.

It's our way of consuming differently: you sleep better, and so does someone else.

Thinking of upgrading your bedding? Find the Polysleep mattress that's right for you with our personalized quiz.

FAQ

Can you put a mattress in the recycling bin?

No. Mattresses cannot go in the standard recycling bin. They are too bulky and too composite to be processed in typical sorting centers. They need to be taken to an ecocentre or collected by a specialized organization.

How long does a mattress take to decompose in a landfill?

Up to 100 years. Between synthetic foams, steel springs and textile fibers, a buried mattress takes an incredibly long time to degrade and releases harmful substances in the process. All the more reason to choose donation or the ecocentre.

Does Polysleep take back old mattresses?

Polysleep does not collect old mattresses directly; instead, it redistributes returned mattresses from its 100-night trial to charities across Canada. No returned mattress is destroyed.

Where to drop off your old mattress in Montreal?

Ecocentres of the City of Montreal accept mattresses for free from residents. Check the City of Montreal website or the RECYC-QUÉBEC portal to find the nearest ecocentre and its opening hours.

Conclusion

Resale between individuals, donation to an organization, drop-off at an ecocentre — these are three simple options for getting rid of your old mattress without sending it to a landfill. Whichever you choose, you're making the right choice for the planet.

And if it's the right time to upgrade to a new mattress, Polysleep takes it from there. 100 nights to try it at home, free return if it's not for you, and your returned mattress will go to someone in need.

Made in Quebec, delivered to your door. Sleep better, consume better! Shop your Polysleep mattress.