Avenue of Life Mattress Recycling

Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas

Project Description:

Mattress recycling is Avenue of Life's first recycling initiative. The city of Kansas City, Missouri, helped Avenue of Life acquire an abandoned building on East 31st Street. With the help of grant funds, private donors and volunteers, the Business Training Center opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony in November 2014.

Mattresses and box springs are dismantled by hand. Metal, wood, foam, polyester and cotton are reclaimed and are sold to end markets for the manufacturing of new products. Avenue of Life has developed strong relationships to secure feed stock and end markets, working with public works directors, landfill operators, thrift stores, corporate retail, hospital administrators, textile recyclers, and many others.

Residents can drop-off mattresses and box springs at the facility or at four other drop-off locations in the region, or request pick up. Avenue of Life also attends community clean-up days and recycling events for collection.

Project Goals:

• Empowering low-income individuals and families to be self-sustaining and independent.
• Launching a successful recycling initiative that supports the goals of the Avenue of Life Business Training Center.

Community Benefits and Lessons Learned:

• Providing an alternative for mattress disposal for the region, diverting tons of waste from local landfills.
• Creating jobs, which is vital to the community the organization serves. Teaching skills including heavy equipment operation, customer service, accountability and teamwork.
• Maintaining integrity with partners and end-market customers to ensure these long-term relationships are maintained.

Funding Sources and Partnerships:

Funding sources include the MARC Solid Waste Management District, Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority (EIERA), Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and multiple faith-based agencies. Other partners include cities of Kansas City, Lee's Summit, Riverside, Excelsior Springs and Kearney, Missouri, and Republic Services.

Contact Information:

Avenue of Life Business Training Center
5117 E 31st Street, Kansas City, MO 64128
avenueoflife.org