Chafee signs mattress legislation into law

PROVIDENCE – Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee has signed into law legislation to establish a program for the “proper recycling, reuse and disposal of mattresses,” according to a news release.
The new law derives from a model product stewardship program devised by the mattress industry to make product manufacturers responsible for the disposal of their product after its usable life cycle.
The law establishes a council of manufacturers and retailers responsible for submitting a plan for statewide collection of mattresses, a recycling program, public-education materials and a fee structure to fund the program. The council will work in conjunction with the R.I. Resource Recovery Corporation to implement a plan and set recycling goals and objectives. All manufacturers will be required to join the council in order to sell mattresses in the state.
The program will establish statewide locations for mattress collection and drop-off for citizens and covered entities. The council will propose a point of purchase fee, which will be disclosed to consumers, to pay for costs to cover implementation of the plan. •

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