SleepTech Magazine Mattress, Accessories, Machinery, Raw Materials
The International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) successfully negotiated bipartisan mattress recycling legislation with Connecticut state officials and lobbied for its passage. On Thursday May 16, the Connecticut Senate approved the legislation by a 28-8 vote.
The bill went to Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy (D) for his consideration and he signed the bill on May 30 into law. The new law requires an industryled nonprofit organization to develop a mattress recycling plan for the state by July 2014.
“This is a significant victory for our industry. For the past year and a half, ISPA has been focused on legislative options that will improve recycling but not harm our industry,” said ISPA President Ryan Trainer. “The law requires a sensible, cost-effective approach to mattress recycling that is funded through a small fee collected from consumers at retail.”
Trainer added, “This result is a terrific example of how an industry can work together to accomplish a common objective.
ISPA and our members in Connecticut worked diligently with state officials to craft legislation that will increase used mattress recycling in the state without damaging our industry or threatening jobs. Grassroots contacts between ISPA members and their elected officials were critical to this success. This legislation will serve as a model for other states considering this issue.”
“We thank Environment Committee Chairman Senator Edward Meyer (D-Guilford) for his leadership in crafting legislation that will promote mattress recycling and generate jobs,” said ISPA President, Ryan Trainer. “This legislation serves as a model for solving the problem of mattress disposal without negatively impacting our industry.”
The legislation will generate the nation’s first mattress recycling law of its kind. ISPA is currently working on similar legislation in other states where they will lobby for a program that reduces the impact of illegally dumped mattresses, harnesses existing infrastructure for transporting used mattresses to recyclers, generates jobs, and minimizes costs to both government and consumers.
RHODE ISLANDS
passed its law, too
Rhode Island is the third US state to finally pass its own mattress recycling law that will help the industry and the local government deal with the proper disposal of old mattresses. The legislation, which was passed recently, encourages non-profit organizations to collect mattresses for recycling, for a certain fee. This legislation is endorsed by the ISPA. Rhode Island’s law follows California
and Connecticut with this initiative.
