Nearly 20,000 mattresses have been recycled in North Bay since May 2017.
That information was presented at Council Tuesday night as a new three-year, $360,000 contract was approved to continue mattress transportation, processing and recycling services.
Deputy Mayor Tanya Vrebosch offered thanks to the Lego Robotics team members that originally brought the idea forward, resulting in about 5,000 mattresses being diverted from the landfill each year.
Vrebosch says the price per mattress will be going back up to $20 as the optional program is done through cost-recovery.
“It was $20 per mattress or box spring. Then we went to a new supplier, we went down to, I believe $17,” she says. “This is one that has been full cost-recovery since we started. As we have different suppliers that we’re using the costs are adjusted”
Council also approved $78,000 go towards the purchase of twelve new bus shelters.
“Obviously we can use more bus shelters in the community,” says Councillor Chris Mayne, Chair of Infrastructure and Operations. “These will be prioritized on the activity on the roads they need to be placed on. But, importantly and with thanks to our federal and provincial government partners we’re getting 25-cent dollars on this.”
He says 50 percent of the cost is being funded by the federal government with 25 percent from the province.
The new bus shelters also feature solar-powered lighting.
