The Indian mattress industry has witnessed remarkable growth owing to rising income levels, growing awareness about health, wellbeing and growth in the real estate and hospital segment. Going by a GII report published in January 2024, the India mattress market has generated revenue of USD 223.4 Million in the current year and is poised to achieve a CAGR more than 7.97 percent for the forecast period from 2024 to 2029. While the demand for mattresses and sleep products is already high in tier 1 cities, initiatives like ‘Make In India’ is likely to drive industrial growth in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. 

Mattress manufacturers are scaling their facilities to meet the growing demand for mattresses. As a greater number of mattresses reach maximum households, there is an area of concern that must not be ignored by mattress companies. What will happen to the old mattresses that are getting replaced? What will happen to these new mattresses when they would have lived their age? Are Indian consumers aware about the right ways to dispose their mattresses? Are manufacturers taking any initiative to facilitate appropriate methods of recycling? These are some hard questions that need a serious thought from every stakeholder involved in the mattress market. 

In India, mattress recycling in still at a very nascent stage but it needs to be implemented through the right infrastructure development, conducive government policies, consumer education and active participation from the private sector. ISPF has been actively pursuing appropriate initiatives to encourage circular journey of mattresses with its tie up with the Kabadiwala. However, lack of incentives and inefficient facilitation of the recycling processes is making this initiative an uphill task. 

Meanwhile, the Indian mattress industry could derive some learnings through the Soft Landing case study on Mattress Producers’ Stewardship Responsibility Agreement (PSRA) in Australia that diverted tonnes of discarded mattresses from the landfills. Besides, preventing mattresses from ending up in landfills that would take decades to write down, the Australia based recycler would secure useful raw materials used in the mattress and divert them to other local manufacturers for manufacturing other consumer goods. For instance, each mattress that comes for recycling at Soft Landing contains 12.5 kg of steel which is sold to BlueScope, an steel maker and supplier spread across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands and throughout Asia. Nearly, 1.5 kg of foam is recovered after disintegrating the discarded mattress, which is then sold to Dunlop for carpet underlay and to make boxing bags. 

Situational awareness on mattress disposal in Australia 

In an official press release issued on July 22, 2024 by Australia’s largest mattress recycler Soft Landing, General Manager David Petrie says, “1.8 million old mattresses are disposed of each year in Australia. Of these, it is estimated that over 740,000 end up in landfill. This equates to 5,500 average elephants or nearly 2,500 compactor trucks”. The ACT government wanted to adopt a holistic approach that would ensure circular journey of mattresses. This requires a comprehensive mattress recycling program. Mattresses are made of good resources that include cotton, PU foam, metal springs, steel, wood etc. and to prevent these valuable resources from going into landfills, the ACT government initiated the Mattress Producers’ Stewardship Responsibility Agreement (PSRA) that aimed at addressing the growing issues pertaining to piling mattress wastes in Australia.  

“The rise in demand for mattresses calls for sustainable practices to prevent environmental degradation. This can be done by diverting all the old mattresses from landfills and re-purposing raw materials.”

Soft landing case study on Mattress Producers’ Stewardship Responsibility Agreement (PSRA) in Australia 

Soft Landing, an Australian Bedding Stewardship Council (ABSC) Approved Recycler, recycles each and every component of the mattresses into something new. In its first year of operations, it had diverted 32,899 mattresses from landfill.  

Through the Soft landing case study, the implementation of PSRA could be explored. Meanwhile, studying the challenges faced while implementing the program, the end result and its overall impact on sustainability is our main objective to derive a good understanding about mattress circular journey. The primary objective of PSRA was to ensure environmental sustainability by diverting mattress waste from landfills and promoting material recovery, provide economic opportunity by developing new markets for recycled materials and creating jobs and promote social well-being by improving community health and reducing environmental pollution.  

“Australia’s Mattress Producers’ Stewardship Responsibility Agreement (PSRA) showcases a successful model of recycling and resource recovery. By adopting similar practices, India can significantly reduce landfill waste, recover valuable materials, and create economic opportunities, fostering a sustainable future for the mattress industry.” 

Implementation of the program 

PSRA adopted an approach that engaged the key stakeholders in mattress recycling process, namely, the manufacturers, recycling partners and government. Establishing the required infrastructure to facilitate recycling processes and creating public awareness were quintessential areas that required a strategic approach. The entire implementation of this initiative entailed

  • Stakeholder Engagement : The PSRA got all key stakeholders in the mattress recycling process follow a cohesive approach to ensure circular journey of mattresses. The mattress manufacturers, recyclers and the government agreed to work in a framework that would reduce wastage and utilize the raw materials in a more productive manner. 
    • Manufacturers : Key mattress manufacturers agreed to fund the recycling program through an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme.
    • Recycles : Recyclers were certified to ensure adherence to environmentally conducive recycling processes. 
    • Government : Various levels of government provided regulatory frameworks and supported public awareness campaigns. 
  • Infrastructure development : To support smooth functioning of mattress recycling process, an appropriate infrastructure was established that encouraged consumers to initiate the process of mattress recycling. 
    • Collection System: Establishment of a network of drop-off points and take-back schemes across cities and regions. 
    • Recycling Facilities: Investment in state-of-the-art recycling facilities capable of efficiently processing mattresses. 
  • Public Awareness campaigns : Creating public awareness was the most important job to ensure the successful implementation of the mattress recycling program. Through various public awareness campaigns, national and local authorities could educate the public on the benefits of mattress recycling and ways to participate in the program. 

The Challenge 

Successful implementation of this program required sufficient funding, robust logistics and keeping consumers motivated, The key challenges faced during the implementation were: 

    • Funding : Ensuring sustainable financing was a challenge. Initial setup costs were high, and a balanced financial model was necessary.
    • Logistics : Managing the logistics of collecting and transporting bulky mattresses presented significant challenges. 
    • Consumer participation : Motivating consumers to engage with the recycling program required ongoing education and incentivization. 

The Solution 

To shape up the idea of circular journey of mattresses required support and involvement from all stakeholders involved in the whole process of buying and selling mattresses. The recyclers, manufacturers and government had to come up with a solution that would address all challenges involved in the mattress recycling process. The solution was primarily focused on implementing the right financial model, optimising logistics set up and leveraging appropriate consumer engagement strategies. 

“To ensure circular journey of mattresses, active participation is required from various sectors, namely, manufacturers, recyclers, NGOs, consumers and government.”

    • Optimised logistics : Partnering with logistics companies to streamline collection routes and minimize transportation costs. Setting up regional hubs to reduce the distance between collection points and recycling facilities. 
    • Financial models: Implementation of an eco-fee at the point of sale to fund the recycling program.Securing government grants and subsidies to support the initial setup and operational costs.
    • Consumer Engagement strategies : Offering incentives such as discounts on new mattresses for recycling old ones. Running community-based programs and school collaborations to raise awareness. 

Results

The implementation of PSRA delivered notable impact, especially, in terms of diverting tonnes of mattress wastes entering the landfills. Other measurable benefits include reclamation of raw materials that could be used for further manufacturing, providing employment to individuals from diverse background and encouraging the community to get involved in sustainable practices. 

    • Optimised logistics : Significant reduction in mattress waste entering landfills. The program has diverted over 80% of discarded mattresses from landfills. Efficient reclamation of materials like steel, foam, and textiles, fostering a circular economy.  
    • Economic benefits: Creation of over 600 jobs in collection, transportation, and recycling sectors within the first two years. Establishment of a stable market for reclaimed materials, supporting local manufacturing industries. 
    • Social benefits : Enhanced community health outcomes due to reduced environmental pollution from improper disposal of mattresses. Increased public awareness and involvement in sustainable practices.  

Ensuring circular journey of mattresses in India – Key learnings from Australia model 

In India, mattress recycling is still at a nascent stage. To ensure circular journey of mattresses, active participation is required from various sectors, namely, manufacturers, recyclers, NGOs, consumers and government. “Implementing mattress recycling in India presents several hurdles that need to be carefully addressed to ensure the program’s success. Some of the key challenges include low public awareness and participation, unequipped infrastructure, inefficient logistics, absence of a sustainable business model, insufficient regulatory frameworks and most importantly, finding a market for recycled materials,” explains Mr. Isaac Emmanuel from Indian Polyurethane Association (IPUA), who has enthusiastically worked towards spreading awareness about the best possible ways to adopt sustainability in the industry. 

Fixed Beat : Mattress Circular Journey and Sustainability

Mr. Emmanuel, who has headed innovation, sustainability, and social business initiatives in companies like Covestro and Bayer Material Science in the past explains, by examining this successful model deployed in Australia, India can extract several key learnings: 

    • Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Implementing EPR policies can ensure that manufacturers are responsible for the lifecycle management of their mattresses. 
    • Public Awareness and Participation : Creating strong public awareness campaigns can significantly enhance participation in recycling programs. 
    • Infrastructure Investment : Developing a robust infrastructure for collection, transportation, and recycling is critical. 
    • Economic Incentives : Providing economic incentives to both consumers and recyclers can drive the success of the recycling program

Investing in research in developing the chemical recycling process (where applicable) with the help of research institutions/universities. Generating the markets for recycled materials should go hand in hand.  Crafting a well-thought out and sustainable collaboration between academy-industry-government should be top priority in the coming 5 years.  The Budget 2024-25 has announced initiatives to address environmental concerns and promote sustainable development.  Industry should seize this opportunity and access funds/budgets set apart for bringing in the seed funds for pilot projects and scale up, suggests Mr. Emmanuel.