Jefferson County has joined Lewis and St. Lawrence counties in recycling mattresses through a program established by the Development Authority of the North Country. Beginning immediately, residents disposing of mattresses or box springs in Jefferson County will need to take them to the county transfer station on Route 12 just north of Watertown, where they will
be placed in a separate trailer.
Once full, the trailer will be transported to Tonawanda, NY by a recycling company. At the recycling facility, mattresses are taken apart by hand. The steel is recycled, the wood is chipped, the fabric is used to make absorbent pads and the foam is made into carpet padding.
The mattress recycling program will help remove the approximately 16,000 mattresses a year that are disposed of in the regional landfill, taking up valuable space. Removing mattresses from the waste stream will help extend the life of the landfill.