MRC 2018 RI Annual Reportv6.Indd
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This year, MRC’s Rhode Island Bye Bye Mattress Program collected more than 83,762 mattresses and diverted more than 1,645 tons of material from disposal. — ii — TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary & Definitions pg. 1 Collection Network Overview pg. 6 Education & Outreach pg. 9 Performance Goals & Evaluation pg. 28 Recycling Program Metrics pg. 42 Recommendations for Change pg. 44 APPENDIX A • Registered Producers pg. 47 APPENDIX B • Collection Sites, Recyclers & Events pg. 49 APPENDIX C • Stakeholder Outreach pg. 51 APPENDIX D • Public Education Materials pg. 52 — iii — The mattress industry created the Mattress Recycling Council (MRC), a non-profit organizaiton, to develop and administer the Bye Bye Mattress Program. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & DEFINITIONS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & DEFINITIONS Pursuant to Section 23-90-5(j) of non-profit organization under Section Rhode Island General Laws (the Law), 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code the Mattress Recycling Council Rhode of 1986, to develop and administer the Island, LLC (MRC) submits to Rhode Program. On July 1, 2015, the Council Island Resource Recovery Corporation submitted a plan to RIRRC outlining (RIRRC) this Annual Report, which how the Program would meet the provides the requested data on Law’s requirements and proposed initial the results that MRC achieved in performance goals. RIRRC approved administering the Rhode Island mattress this Plan on January 13, 2016, and the stewardship program (the Program) Program officially began operating during the state’s 2017-2018 Fiscal Year on May 1, 2016. The Council proposed (July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018) (the revised performance goals in 2017, Reporting Period). which RIRRC accepted in June 2018. OVERVIEW OF MATTRESS In addition to Rhode Island, the RECYCLING COUNCIL RHODE Council administers statewide mattress ISLAND, LLC recycling programs in two other states – California and Connecticut. In each of The Law requires that mattress these states, the Council has developed producers form a “council” that a statewide network of mattress develops a statewide Program to collect collection and recycling locations, mattresses and foundations (collectively increased the number of units recycled, units) discarded in Rhode Island. The and educated consumers, retailers, and Law also provides that the Program other stakeholders about that state’s will be funded through a visible fee mattress recycling program. collected from consumers and other purchasers on all mattresses and box Effective July 1, 2017, the Council springs sold in the state. created for each state program a limited liability company in which the Council is The International Sleep Products the sole member. The Council Association created the Mattress transferred all functions related to the Recycling Council (the Council), a Rhode Island Program to the Mattress — 2 — Recycling Council Rhode Island, LLC • Collecting 83,762 mattresses and (MRC). recycling 1,645 tons of material. • Expanding the Program to 37 of In promoting the Program among 39 Rhode Island municipalities and consumers, MRC has branded itself as continuing to recruit other entities “Bye Bye Mattress.” and small bulky waste haulers. • Surpassing the goal to collect RHODE ISLAND’S PROGRAM more than 15,000 mattresses from OBJECTIVES retailers in the first two years of the Program. MRC has designed and implemented • Securing more participation from the Program to accomplish the lodging, educational, and healthcare following: facilities. MRC this year increased the total units collected from these • Collect a mattress stewardship fee sources by 69%. that funds the cost of operating and administering the Program • Recycling mattresses collected from Naval Station Newport and its off- • Provide for free and accessible base housing complexes. statewide opportunities for state residents to discard their used • Confirming that in-store public mattresses education materials, a public service campaign, media relations, and • Provide for free collection of social media outreach developed discarded mattresses from and promoted by MRC have municipal transfer stations helped make 55% of surveyed • Provide transfer stations with Rhode Islanders aware of mattress suitable storage containers and recycling. transportation of discarded mattresses REPORT OVERVIEW • Provide for MRC-financed end-of- life recycling of mattresses Pursuant to § 23-90-5(j) of the Law, this • Minimize public sector involvement Annual Report contains the following in the management of mattresses information: • Establish a financial incentive 1. The weight of mattresses collected for consumers that deliver their mattresses to recyclers pursuant to the program from: The Law required MRC to establish i. Municipal and/or transfer stations; goals to measure the Program’s ii. Retailers; and performance. During the Reporting iii. All other covered entities; Period, MRC achieved or is on pace to achieve most of these goals. Highlights 2. The weight of mattresses diverted for of the Program’s second year include: recycling; — 3 — 3. Identification of the mattress possesses a discarded mattress that recycling facilities to which mattresses was discarded in this state. Covered were delivered for recycling; entity does not include any renovator, refurbisher or any person who 4. The weight of discarded mattresses transports a discarded mattress. recycled, as indicated by the weight of each of the commodities sold to “Foundation” means any ticking- secondary markets; covered structure that is used to support a mattress and that is 5. The weight of mattresses, or parts composed of one or more of the thereof, sent for disposal at each of the following: A constructed frame, foam, following: or a box spring. “Foundation” does not i. Rhode Island Resource Recovery include any bed frame or base made Corporation; and of wood, metal, or other material that rests upon the floor and that serves as a ii. Any other facilities; brace for a mattress. 6. Samples of public education “Mattress” means any resilient material, materials and methods used to support or combination of materials, that is the program; enclosed by ticking, used alone or in combination with other products, and 7. A description of efforts undertaken that is intended for, or promoted for, and evaluation of the methods used to sleeping upon. disseminate such materials; “Mattress” includes any foundation, 8. Updated performance goals and an renovated foundation, or renovated evaluation of the effectiveness of the mattress. methods and processes used to achieve performance goals of the program; and “Mattress” does not include any of the following: 9. Recommendations for any changes to the program. A. An unattached mattress pad, an unattached mattress topper, including The following terms defined in § 23-90- any item with resilient filling, with or 3 are relevant to the Report: without ticking, that is intended to be used with, or on top of a mattress; “Covered entity” “ means any political subdivision of the state, any mattress B. A sleeping bag, pillow; retailer, any permitted transfer station, any waste to energy facility, any C. A crib or bassinet mattress, car bed; healthcare facility, any educational facility, any correctional facility, any D. Juvenile products, including: a military base, or any commercial or carriage, basket, dressing table, stroller, non-profit lodging establishment that playpen, infant carrier, lounge pad, crib — 4 — bumper, and the pads for those juvenile their original identity or form as they products; are transformed into new, usable, or marketable materials. “Recycling” does E. A product that contains liquid- or not include as a primary process the gaseous-filled ticking, including any use of incineration for energy recovery waterbed or air mattress that does not or energy generation by means of contain upholstery material between combustion. the ticking and the mattress core; “Renovate” or “renovation” means F. Any upholstered furniture that does altering a mattress for the purpose not contain a detachable mattress; or of resale and includes any one, or a combination of, the following: G. A fold-out sofa bed or futon. Replacing the ticking or filling, adding additional filling, rebuilding a mattress, “Mattress stewardship program” or replacing components with new or “program” means the statewide, or recycled materials. “Renovate” or program described in § 23-90-5 and “renovation” does not include the: implemented pursuant to the mattress stewardship plan as approved by the A. Stripping of a mattress of its ticking corporation director. or filling without adding new material; “Producer” means any person B. Sanitization or sterilization of a who manufactures or renovates a mattress without otherwise altering the mattress that is sold, offered for sale, mattress; or or distributed in the state under the manufacturer’s own name or brand. C. Altering of a mattress by a renovator “Producer” includes: when a person retains the altered mattress for personal use, in accordance A. The owner of a trademark or brand with regulations of the Department of under which a mattress is sold, offered Business Regulation. for sale, or distributed in this state, whether or not such trademark or “Renovator” means a person who brand is registered in this state; and renovates discarded mattresses for the purpose of reselling such mattresses in B. Any person who imports a mattress a retail store. into the United States that is sold or offered for sale in this state and that is “Retailer” means any person who