Mattress disposal fee increases

Jun. 23—DERRY — It's going to cost a bit more to get rid of that unwanted mattress.

Town councilors approved an increase in the fee to dispose of a mattress at the transfer station.

Effective July 1, it will cost $35 to get rid of a mattress. The fee to dispose of a box spring remains at $5.

Only Derry residents are allowed to bring their mattresses and box springs to the local transfer station.

According to Derry Public Works Director Michael Fowler, mattresses coming to the Derry facility were being hauled to Haverhill, Massachusetts to an incinerator, part of about 10,000 tons of trash taken there every year.

Fowler, speaking to town councilors at a meeting June7, said prices are going up, more regulations are being put in place and there is very little landfill space remaining in the Northeast.

In Massachusetts, Fowler said new regulations going into effect will ban the disposal of mattresses due to more efforts being made to recycle mattress components like springs, fabric, etc.

"And incinerators are under increasing regulation," Fowler added.

Some of the price increase will be offset in other ways, Fowler added, so as to not burden the town's tax base with added costs due to the mattress disposal.

Fowler added that the town took in about 5,000 mattresses last year.