A group of mayors all over the United States has declared their support for the legislation that will push for an extended producer responsibility (EPR) for mattresses.
This legislation puts mattress manufacturers in control and responsible for their products, after consumers have made use of them. This is essentially a bid to push recycling towards manufacturers, which may bring added financial and administrative burden. The group, the US Conference of Mayors (USCM) has made its endorsement of the EPR Legislation, stating that this is going to be an effective way to dispose of mattresses in the municipalities.
On top of promoting recycling, it’s also going to create more jobs for their constituents. It also helps reduce cost of disposal, which a local government handles and spends about $1.2M a year.
“The mayors’ support for mattressspecific legislation represents a tangible step toward more effective policies for managing a costly component of the municipal waste stream,” said Scott Cassel, executive director, Product Stewardship Institute Inc. (PSI). The USCM is working alongside PSI, in support of this bid with the PSI founder saying, “I am pleased to see this display of support for product stewardship on a national scale.”
EPR legislation would force manufacturers of mattresses to pay for its reuse and disposal. PSI said it has been pushing for EPR legislation for mattresses for a number of years and the Connecticut Senate passed a bill earlier this year, but the House did not take the bill up before the session ended.
