Mattress replacement projects at universities often involve hundreds to thousands of units at once. When sent to landfills, these bulky items create environmental and logistical challenges: they are costly to dispose of, take up significant landfill space, and decompose slowly. Inefficient disposal can also increase costs and complicate operations while undermining institutional sustainability goals.
Dormlife works to ensure that every mattress removed from campus housing is handled responsibly through certified recycling partners. Instead of being incinerated or sent to landfills, mattresses can be broken down into raw materials such as foam, wood, and steel, which are then repurposed into new products. When possible, usable mattresses are also redirected to community partners and provided to individuals and families in need. This approach helps conserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save water, and minimize energy use compared to producing new materials from scratch. Lastly, we utilize a network of local manufacturing partners to reduce freight distances, lowering total carbon emissions.
