A good night’s sleep shouldn’t come at the cost of our planet. That is why natural sleep specialist, Woolroom, has launched a new campaign during Recycle Week 2024, to shed light on the harsh reality that is the UK’s mattress landfill crisis.
With shocking new graphics that demonstrate the staggering number of mattresses thrown away each year, Woolroom wants to raise awareness of the solutions offering a more responsible future for sleep.
According to the National Bed Federation, seven million mattresses are discarded in the UK every year, with an estimated 75% of these failing to be recycled, contributing significantly to the growing landfill problem polluting our planet.
Newly-presented statistics collated by Woolroom demonstrate that when a standard two metre king-size mattress is placed end-to-end, the UK’s unrecycled mattresses would stretch for 10.5 million metres. That’s equivalent to 6,524 miles, enough mattresses to circle the entire UK coastline more than 28 times – or to roughly stretch from London to Kuala Lumpur. When broken down further, that equates to:
- A staggering 125 miles of unrecycled mattresses every week
- 652 of England’s tallest building, The Shard, stacked on top of each other
- The length of 1,916 football pitches end-to-end
- 206 of England’s tallest mountain, Scafell Pike, piled on top of each other
- 47,317 double-decker buses piled above each other
Chris Tattersall, sleep expert and managing director of Woolroom, said: “The UK is a relatively small island with a large population. We all need to recognise that there is only so much space for landfill and we need to be proactive in finding a solution rather than waiting until we can’t ignore the issue any longer.
“By presenting these shocking statistics with new, bold graphics as part of our Mattress Landfill Crisis Campaign, we want to help the UK visualise and wake up to the true impact that unrecycled mattresses are having on our planet, and how we must come together to change the way we all approach sleep and sustainability.
“By choosing natural, recyclable materials, investing in mattresses that are made to last, and disposing of them responsibly when the time comes, we can create a world where restful sleep and environmental responsibility go hand-in-hand.”
Many of the 5.25 million mattresses that fail to be properly recycled each year are made of synthetic materials, like memory foam, plastic and polyester, which have been shown to take 80 to 120 years to decompose. They also leach harmful chemicals like flame retardants, formaldehyde and methane into the atmosphere as they decompose, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Chris continued: “We don’t know the full extent of the impact that ultra-processed bedding has on human health, and so we want to urge people to think about the environmental and health impacts of their sleep choices, in the same way many do when considering fast fashion.”
Woolroom’s goal is to help sleepers achieve a better, cleaner, more sustainable sleep, through its ethical bedding products made from wool; the only bedding material that is completely natural, organic, hypoallergenic, and fully renewable.
Wool takes six to twelve months to naturally decompose into nitrogen-rich compost, therefore minimising impact on landfills and natural resources. Once a mattress comes to the end of its life, it can be disposed of through local council drop-off points – or through Woolroom’s own mattress recycling service.
“There must be a change in the narrative surrounding bedding,” Chris added. “Mattresses made from natural materials, such as wool mattresses, not only biodegrade faster but are proven to be better for your sleep too. According to our study with the University of Leeds, wool has been scientifically proven to boost chances of gaining deeper, more regenerative sleep by 25%.
“The key is to take time to research brands that priorities sustainability, quality and longevity and find out which option is best for you and for the planet.”
