Disposing of Your Old Waterbed Mattress

by: Michael O'Brien

For any number of reasons people find it necessary to replace a vinyl bladder-type waterbed mattress or the vinyl tubes in a hybrid waterbed. The thing to remember is that many municipalities will not accept the old vinyl as part of their regular waste disposal program. Some cities and towns will accept the old vinyl but charge you an extra disposal fee. So before kicking the old vinyl mattress to the curb, check to make sure your waste hauler will accept it.

Many waterbed specialty stores will dispose of the old vinyl mattress free of charge when you purchase a new mattress or bed. This may be a good option and may save you some aggravation and time. Given the chemical makeup of older vinyl waterbed mattresses, ask the store how they dispose of the old one and whether it is done in an environmentally friendly manner.

The environment does raise an interesting issue when it comes to properly disposing or recycling vinyl. The typical 20 mil thick waterbed mattress will last virtually forever in the average landfill. While the mattress may breakdown over time that may turn out to be a very long time. In may make good environmental sense to contact your local recycling center and ask about whether they accept old vinyl for recycling. If the local center will not take the old off your hands, they may know of an organization that does say it pays to ask.

Under no circumstances should you burn the old waterbed mattress since that process will release some very toxic stuff into the atmosphere and perhaps your neighbor’s yard. Whenever possible try to find a disposal method that is as environmentally friendly as possible.

About the Author

Michael O'Brien is a writer for many popular websites.