Brussels' mattresses will no longer end up on the pavement or in the incinerator!

The Brussels Region has decided to tackle an important issue for public cleanliness: the management of used mattresses. With nearly 500 tonnes of mattresses thrown away each year, illegal dumping is on the increase and the environmental impact is considerable. But thanks to an ambitious initiative, the Brussels Region has decided to take the bull by the horns.

In partnership with Valumat, the organisation representing mattress producers, the Brussels Region has introduced Extended Producer Responsibility for used mattresses. This measure aims to stimulate the selective collection and recycling of mattresses in order to reduce their environmental impact. In concrete terms, mattress producers will have to meet precise and increasing collection and recycling targets, thanks to a draft environmental agreement that has been ratified.

But this initiative does not stop there. Brussels Environmental Services is now organising the separate collection of used mattresses in the Recyparks, to prevent them from becoming illegal dumps. In addition, retailers have the opportunity to take back old mattresses from their customers, while being compensated by Valumat. Retailers who are not able to participate in this process must still inform their customers of the collection options.

The processing of used mattresses will now be handled by Valumat, which will bear the costs. The materials can be reused to manufacture acoustic and thermal insulation and sports equipment. This measure is a real step forward for the environment, as it limits the amount of mattress waste and its presence on the streets, covers the costs of collection and treatment, and puts an end to the systematic incineration of mattresses by designing them in such a way that they can be reused or fully recycled.

This initiative is concrete proof of the Brussels Region's commitment to the climate transition and urban cleanliness. Indeed, each avoided or sorted waste is a resource saved or that can have a second life. This measure is therefore not only beneficial for the environment, but it is also economically viable.

This agreement is part of the regional clean.brussels strategy to make the region cleaner, and in particular of measure 59 : “Fully implementing the extended producer responsibility framework and extending it to new flows”