The Capital Regional District is calling on the B.C. government to include mattresses into its Recycling Regulation, saying that currently the CRD and local governments are footing the bill for breaking the items down.

The CRD says it currently subsidizes the “high cost of mattress processing and recycling,” while local municipalities are on the hook for collection, hauling and tipping fees if the mattresses are dumped.

The CRD says the cost should be shifted away from local governments onto producers through the province’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). It says that by adding mattresses to the provincial recycling regulation it will reduce illegal dumping, extend the life of landfills, and ensure the items are disposed of environmentally.

“The CRD appreciates the ministry’s inclusion of automotive products, compressed canisters, emerging electronic products, and medical sharps in its recent EPR program expansion,” said CRD board chair Cliff McNeil-Smith in a letter to the Ministry of Environment and Parks on Dec. 2.

“However, mattresses and foundations remain a priority product for the CRD Board, and we are united with many local governments across B.C. in our continued request that they be added to the Recycling Regulation at the earliest opportunity possible,” he said.

On Tuesday, the province told CHEK News that its recycling regulation is constantly evolving, and that its current focus is on making life affordable for British Columbians.

“We are committed to making life more affordable for British Columbians wherever we can, and at the same time, we remain committed to continue gradually expanding our EPR program in the future,” said the Ministry of Environment and Parks.

It said that shifting recycling costs to producers could result in extra fees for consumers down the line.

“We are examining options to ensure it remains practical and sustainable,” said the ministry.

“We value input from local governments and recycling partners and will continue to work with them to design an EPR program that is both effective and affordable.”

Last year, the CRD spent roughly $162,000 on recycling approximately 3,500 mattresses at the Hartland Landfill.

That cost breaks down to approximately $46 per mattress, with residents paying a $10 fee and the CRD subsidizing the remaining $36, according to the regional district.

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