It is important that mattresses are capable of being recycled. NABU, in collaboration with the mattress association and IKEA Germany, is urging the federal states to support a proposition from Hesse to the Conference of Environment Ministers that supports the implementation of a circular economy for mattresses. It is important to engage in a conversation with the industry, as they are already collaborating with stakeholders in the value chain and recycling companies to establish an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system.
Approximately eight million mattresses are discarded annually in Germany, as per estimates. Nearly all of them, specifically 95 percent, are subjected to incineration. Consequently, the plastics and textile fibers they contain are permanently and irreversibly lost. Typically, mattresses are discarded as either large-sized waste or commercial waste. Consequently, these objects become polluted due to their lack of protection from the elements and their close proximity to other forms of refuse. Consequently, it is exceedingly difficult to recycle mattresses. In order for mattresses to be recycled, it is essential that they be dry and clean. Implementing extended producer responsibility for mattresses, which includes collection and recycling, would enable the establishment of a collection system for this purpose. Belgium, France, and the Netherlands have already implemented such systems.
"The federal government must ensure that the EU sets binding eco-design requirements for mattresses so that they last a long time and can be easily recycled at the end of their life," demands NABU Federal Director Leif Miller. "The EU Waste Framework Directive is currently being revised. This opportunity must be used to make mattress manufacturers obliged to finance collection and recycling."
"It takes a lot of energy and resources to produce and transport a mattress," says Walter Kadnar, CEO and CSO of IKEA Germany. "With a clever and coordinated process, 80 percent of the material could be reused or recycled. That's why we are committed to extended producer responsibility for mattresses. We want all other manufacturers, retailers and importers to join us in being responsible for financing the organization, collection and recycling of old mattresses."
"We can only achieve the transformation with everyone involved in the value chain, including the waste and recycling industry. We have the network and a lot of know-how. What we still need is the support of the responsible authorities and ministries," says Martin Auerbach, Managing Director of the Mattress Industry Association. "In project groups such as circular product design or digital product passports, our association members are creating the conditions for a circular economy in the industry. With uniform standards, for example for mattress refurbishment, we ensure consumer protection and fair competition."
Source: IKEA Germany
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