New Policy for Disposal of Mattresses and Box Springs in effect January 1, 2023

Fee Set Below Other Municipalities; Limits Cost To Residents

New Bedford, Massachusetts – As a consequence of a new statewide ban on the disposal of mattresses and box springs established recently by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), effective January 1, 2023, a $10 fee will be required of New Bedford residents seeking to have their mattresses and box springs removed by the City’s private solid waste hauler Harvey Waste & Recycling Services.

MassDEP expanded the state’s existing list of “waste bans” to include mattress and box spring disposal in support of its goal to reduce disposal statewide by 30 percent (from 5.7 million tons in 2018 to 4 million tons in 2030) over the next decade.  MassDEP has set a long-term goal of achieving a 90 percent reduction in disposal to 570,000 tons by 2050.  For more information, visit

https://www.mass.gov/guides/massdep-waste-disposal-bans or,

https://www.mass.gov/guides/mattress-recycling

With many municipalities now charging fees of $20 to $55 for mattress and box spring pick-up, New Bedford has established a fee of $10 in order to limit the cost to residents.  Residents are advised that there is a limit of one mattress and one box spring per dwelling unit per six-month period (two mattresses and two box spring over a one-year period).  To schedule a pick-up appointment and make payment, residents should contact the New Bedford Department of Facilities and Fleet Management at (508) 979-1520.