Mattress Extended Producer Responsibility

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy instrument designed to extend a producer’s responsibility for its products beyond the consumer stage. Key features of its design include:

• transferring responsibility, partially or fully, economically and/ or physically, away from local authorities to the producer; and
• encouraging producers to incorporate environmental principles in the design of their products through agreed set targets and incentivisation.

There are several key benefits arising as a result of using an EPR scheme. Examples of just some of these benefits include:

• the reduction of the environmental impact of a product at the end of its life;
• maximising the potential for resource efficiency through re-use of materials and components found in a product; and
• new and innovative product design that generates social and economic capital.

The Scottish Government is committed to developing a more circular economy in Scotland, which benefits both the economy and the environment.

Mattresses have long been seen as the poster child of flytipping; and their bulky, low-value composition creates considerable challenges to local authorities tasked with their collection, material sorting and recycling. Recent studies have found that no mattresses were being recycled in Scotland in 2017.

As such, The Scottish Government’s circular economy strategy, Making Things Last, outlines the need to address the challenges arising for end-of-life (EoL) treatment of ‘problem products’, by identifying practicable solutions. One potential solution is to implement an EPR scheme that incentivises producers to take on a more significant role in managing their products beyond the consumer stage.

Zero Waste Scotland are working in partnership with the National Bed Federation to explore and develop a technical and practical evidence base for the design and implementation of a mattress EPR scheme in Scotland. In particular, we are focusing on developing an option that is fit for purpose and will serve as a catalyst for Scotland to achieve its circular economy ambitions.

In December 2019, Zero Waste Scotland published a report that included an exploration of the range of EPR options adopted globally; and a feasibility study of the benefits and challenges associated with delivering a mattress EPR scheme in Scotland.

A number of factors need to be considered when designing a scheme to be the most effective and inclusive for Scotland, and both Zero Waste Scotland and the National Bed Federation are keen to engage and work with stakeholders in order to achieve this.

Given the scale of the mattress manufacturing industry and the number of stakeholders involved, a wide array of issues will need to be looked at. Among those are:

• regulated or voluntary scheme design;
• incentivising participation and collaboration;
• how the scheme is administered and managed;
• encouraging innovation in product design;
• building industry capacity for circular economy options.

Zero Waste Scotland and the National Bed Federation want to engage with a number of stakeholders across the mattress manufacturing industry who can assist in creating an EPR scheme that works for Scotland. Groups such as mattress manufacturers, suppliers, producers, local authorities, retailers, the Third Sector, and Supported Business can all help to shape the best approach to managing the end of life treatment of mattresses is taken and ensure Scotland’s ambitions for a circular economy are met.

We are also keen to engage with the Scottish public and consumer groups, as part of our campaign to raise awareness on the subject of mattress disposal and how a proposed EPR scheme could work.

Business and consumer engagement throughout the duration of the project will be a crucial part of designing a scheme that is inclusive and fit for purpose in Scotland.

We are currently exploring a long list of EPR options delivered across the world and gathering evidence on mattress EPR schemes already in place. This evidence will be presented to stakeholders participating in the project, as we are keen to receive feedback on how these schemes would affect the industry in the UK.

The long list of options will be revised based on feedback received from stakeholders and experts in the field of EPR policy to help create a shortlist of options and finally a recommended option.      

To introduce a scheme, the Scottish Government will need to lay regulations before the Scottish Parliament. If regulations are passed, there will need to be an implementation period before any scheme is fully operational.

We welcome feedback and invite questions on the scheme design and consultation process. There will also be a stakeholder workshops designed to gather insights on how EPR could drive a circular economy within the mattress industry. We will share details of these events once they are confirmed.

For more details on this process, please contact us.

There are a number of benefits to recycling a mattress, which include:

• conservation of valuable resources such as steel, foam and other materials for new products in secondary markets;
• diverting mattresses from end-of-life disposal options such as landfill and incineration;
• reduces the level of flytipping and illegal dumping of mattresses;
• creates new employment opportunities in the recycling industry.

The National Bed Federation is the recognised trade association representing UK manufacturers of beds and their suppliers. Their mission is to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of getting a good night’s sleep by having the right bed. This is done by providing professional, unbiased advice on selecting the right bed.

For further information and advice provided by the National Bed Federation.