Welsh council opens mattress recycling facility

Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough council has installed a machine at its Bryn Pica Landfill and Waste Recycling Centre in Llwydcoed which has the capability to fully deconstruct mattresses.

Because mattresses are made up of a number of materials they have traditionally been difficult to recycle. However the council said the purpose built machine can break down mattresses into the separate components steel springs, foam and fabric which can then be sent for recycling.

The machine, which was built by special purpose equipment manufacturer EBS Automation in Llanelli, is fully contained within a 5,000 square foot building. The council said it is believed to be the first of its kind in the whole world.

The facility hosts a semi-automated mattress splitting machine, which allows the components to be separated and a large shredder which is capable of reducing the volume of the steel springs by approximately 900%. In addition, the facility houses areas for the sorting of textiles, which helps to reduce contamination.

First class

The Welsh Government has invested over 400,000 into the scheme through its regional access capital access fund (see letsrecycle.com story).

Commenting on the facility, Councillor Andrew Morgan, cabinet member for the frontline services, said: We continually strive to recycle more waste in Rhondda Cynon Taf and reduce the amount being sent to landfill. This service is another example of the first-class work being undertaken by our Streetcare Team to reinforce our aims.

We encourage all residents to realise the benefits of this service. Such schemes benefit the local environment and help make this County Borough a cleaner and greener place to live and visit.

Recycling

The machine can process up to 100,000 mattresses every year. At present, the council receives over 500 mattresses a week through its series of five community recycling centres. Mattresses collected at these centres will be taken to the facility in Llwydcoed, which is managed by the councils waste contractor Amgen Cymru, to be processed.

The council first teamed up with Amgen Cymru to collect and recycle mattresses in August 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story).

The council said that over 300 mattresses every week are currently landfilled in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Explaining the problems caused by mattresses, the council said: Because mattresses do not biodegrade in landfill; they can create dangerous voids and can cause accidents for site operatives.

“Damage to vehicles is also common and a typical double mattress takes up approximately 23 cubic feet of landfill space. Worse still old mattresses are one of the most common things to be fly-tipped – left at the side of the road or in a derelict area.