Crook county residents gain free, year-round mattress recycling drop-off site

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Today, residents of Prineville and Crook County gained a new, permanent, no-cost option to recycle unwanted mattresses and box springs at the Prineville Recycling Depot. This service is made possible through a collaboration between Republic Services and the Mattress Recycling Council's Bye Bye Mattress Program.

The new local facility joins a growing statewide network, aiming to make mattress recycling easier for residents without incurring dump fees. This initiative helps reduce illegal dumping in local streets, parks and riverbeds, while also preventing more mattresses from occupying valuable space in landfills. The program began mattress collection in Oregon last year, replicating successful Bye Bye Mattress programs established in other states.

The Prineville Recycling Depot, located at 1751 N. Main Street in Prineville, now accepts mattresses and box springs for recycling Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

This site marks the first permanent drop-off location in Crook County and the fourth in Central Oregon to accept mattresses year-round as part of the statewide network, which includes other collection sites in Madras and Bend.

Oregon's Mattress Stewardship Act, enacted in 2022, established the Bye Bye Mattress program. Mattress collection under the program began in Oregon on Jan. 1, 2025. The program is funded by a $22.50 fee collected when a new mattress or box spring is purchased in Oregon. This fee is used to establish free drop-off locations and collection events throughout the state, transport collected units to recyclers and prepare the materials for use in other products.

A mattress recycled through the Bye Bye Mattress program is separated into its core components: steel, foam, fibers and wood. These materials are then incorporated into new steel products, carpet padding, insulation, biomass fuel and other products. Utilizing these recycled components helps conserve water and energy by reducing the need for virgin materials.

Mike O'Donnell, chief operating officer for the Mattress Recycling Council, expressed gratitude for the new site. “We're thankful to Republic Services for providing Prineville and Crook County residents with a permanent, year-round site where they can drop off mattresses for recycling,” O'Donnell said. “Their commitment to serving their community and reducing waste is making it easier to recycle old mattresses and box springs in Central Oregon.”

In addition to the Prineville location, other permanent mattress recycling collection sites in Central Oregon include Box Canyon Transfer Station at 1760 SE McTaggart Road in Madras, On the Move Movers at 1350 SE Reed Market Road in Bend and Deschutes Recycling Center at 61050 SE 27th Street in Bend. Residents can find more information about additional mattress recycling events and sites throughout Oregon and a list of participating retailers, by visiting ByeByeMattress.com.

Consumers are encouraged to ask their retailer to recycle their old mattress when purchasing a new one.