A monster machine that eats old mattresses and spits them out as useful products is saving Liverpool City Council residents more than $500,000 yearly in waste disposal costs.
It is estimated that around 1.8 million mattresses are thrown out each year in Australia with around 40% of them – 22,140 tonnes – ending up in landfill.
The Council’s new mattress-munching machine – affectionately known as ‘The Croc’ – is not only reducing disposal costs for local ratepayers, but has the potential to help other councils across the region with mattress processing.
“It’s hard not to smile at this Crocodile. It’s a money-maker for ratepayers,” said Liverpool Mayor, Ned Mannoun.
“It’s the latest in technology and we have the only one in South-West Sydney.
“It will help contain costs as we continue our back-to-basics agenda,” said the Mayor.
“Collection and transportation costs for old mattresses will become even more prohibitive as local Sydney landfills become exhausted by 2034, forcing councils to send them further afield,” said Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) President, Councillor Barry Calvert.
“In addition, Liverpool City’s mattress-eating machine is contributing to Western Sydney’s transition to the circular economy.”
Liverpool City Council alone collects and takes to landfill more than 20,000 mattresses a year.
Without ‘The Croc’, the cost to the Council of getting these mattresses taken away by a private contractor is close to $800,000 per annum.
“WSROC congratulates Liverpool City Council on this wonderful initiative. And we certainly encourage other Western Sydney councils to avail themselves of Liverpool City’s mattress-munching monster,” said President Calvert.
There are two basic types of products extracted from the mattresses after recycling – flock and steel. The flock alone can be then turned into:
- Civic Quality Street Pavers
- Blocks
- Street Furniture
- Pavers
- Tiles
- Toilet Dividers
- Seats and Tables, and even
- Public artworks!
To find out more about The Croc, click here.
