Can you recycle — Roughly 80% of an old mattress is recyclable — steel, foam, timber and fabric all have markets. Our team’s guide to recycling a mattress in Australia, by state.
James on our team has wheeled three different old mattresses through three different state recycling systems in the past five years and learned the hard way which routes are easy and which are theoretical. Short answer: yes, you can recycle a mattress almost anywhere in Australia. Here’s how it actually works.
What’s inside a mattress (Can you recycle)
A standard innerspring queen mattress is roughly:
- 11 kg of steel (springs and frame)
- 5 kg of polyurethane foam
- 3 kg of cotton, wool and polyester padding
- 2 kg of timber and fibreboard
- ~2 kg of fabric and stitching
Every one of these has a recycling market. Steel is the easiest and most valuable; foam goes into carpet underlay; timber chips into landscaping; textiles into industrial felt and insulation.
The simplest path: Recycling Near You
The single best resource is recyclingnearyou.com.au. Type your suburb, and it lists every drop-off and pickup option for mattresses (and basically anything else).
By state — what we’ve actually used
NSW
Soft Landing has drop-off points across Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle and major regional centres. Many councils (Sydney City, Inner West, Newcastle) collect mattresses kerbside on bulk-waste day for free.
Victoria
Sustainability Victoria runs Mattress Stewardship pilot programs in several council areas. ResourceCo accepts drop-offs at most major transfer stations for $20–$45 per mattress.
Queensland
Brisbane City Council collects mattresses at all four resource recovery centres (free for residents). Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast charge $30–$50.
WA
Perth has Soft Landing facilities in Welshpool. Most metro councils accept mattresses for $40–$60 at transfer stations.
SA, TAS, NT, ACT
Networks are thinner. Adelaide has ResourceCo. Hobart has limited council pickup. Darwin has very few options. Canberra has Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre.
Retail take-back
Most online mattress brands selling in Australia (Koala, Ecosa, Sleeping Duck, Eva, Emma) will arrange collection of your old mattress when they deliver the new one — usually free as part of the trial program. Brick-and-mortar stores (Domayne, Snooze) often charge $50–$100 for removal.
Cost comparison
| Route | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Council kerbside (where offered) | Free |
| Council transfer station | $20–$60 |
| Soft Landing direct drop-off | $20–$50 |
| Brand take-back (online beds) | Usually free |
| Private removal | $80–$150 |
| Landfill | $30–$50 (last resort) |
Don’t do this
Don’t leave a mattress on the kerb without a council booking — it’s an offence in most states and you risk a fine. Don’t bury it. Don’t burn it (the foam releases isocyanates).
If your mattress is still in usable condition (under 5 years, no stains, no sagging), donating to a local charity often beats recycling — Vinnies and Salvos accept mattresses in good condition in most metros.
