BOSTON – Berlin was among the 44 cities and towns receiving $10,000 each to  purchase mattress collection containers.The grants will assist municipalities as they work to comply with the mattress waste disposal ban, which is set to be implemented on Nov, 1.

Under this regulation, old mattresses and box springs will be banned from disposal in landfills or combustion facilities. More than 75 percent of mattress components are recyclable. Recycling is a preferred management method since mattresses are bulky and costly to dispose of in landfills and incinerators.

“Massachusetts’ 2030 Solid Waste Master Plan sets strategic goals to significantly reduce waste disposal over the next decade, and mattress recycling serves as an important component as we work to reach these goals,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth Card. “By providing $440,000, the Baker-Polito Administration is able to assist our municipal partners as they implement local mattress recycling programs, which will have positive economic and environmental benefits to the Commonwealth, local communities, and businesses.”

Municipalities receiving this grant funding will be able to purchase a dedicated mattress collection container. Grantees will choose the size container that fits their community’s need; containers hold from 40 to 80 mattresses, depending on size. There are five mattress recycling vendors approved by the state and municipalities can purchase services from them.

The grants are funded through the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP), which was created under the Green Communities Act and is administered by MassDEP.