Bulky waste in Latin America: A case study for unused mattresses

Abstract

This applied research presents the design of a management model for the collection, recycling, and recovery of used mattresses in nine municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Chile, integrating criteria of circular economy, traceability, and sustainability. A mixed methodology was applied, using primary and secondary sources, as well as qualitative and quantitative techniques. This included gathering technical information, conducting territorial assessments, surveying municipalities, reviewing international case studies, and modeling demographic and waste generation projections. The assessment reveals a high volume of used mattresses generated in the city of Santiago, Chile, limited specific infrastructure for their recycling, and a fragmented municipal response. The case study was based on the installation of municipal containers for initial collection, centralized storage in a warehouse, and the distribution of mattresses to recovery plants via optimized logistics routes. A model was developed that includes an initial stage of manual mattress dismantling and a second stage using technologies for mechanized dismantling. The results allow for the quantification of material recovery, such as foam, steel, and textiles, preventing their disposal in landfills. They also identify opportunities for improvement and propose regulations through public-private partnerships with a positive social impact, incorporating extended producer responsibility and lessons learned from international models.