How to dispose of a mattress in Charleston, SC
Where a mattress or box spring can go in Charleston County and the City of Charleston — the free resident route, the private recycler the City points to, and who doesn't fit those rules.
The free resident route: county convenience centers
Charleston County's staffed convenience centers accept mattresses and box springs in Zone 2 with no separate fee. The catch is that they are residents-only — a government photo ID with a county address is required, under rules effective November 1, 2024. If you'd rather self-haul to Bees Ferry Landfill, a mattress is most likely billed as household waste at $100 per ton (it isn't itemized separately), so confirm at the scale.
In the City of Charleston: no city program, a private referral
The City of Charleston has no city-funded mattress-recycling program — its 2021 pilot is no longer funded. The City instead points residents to BedShred, a private service that offers curbside mattress pickup for a small fee. City residents can also set a mattress out at the curb on their collection day in its own separate pile. Curbside rules vary from town to town, so confirm your own municipality's mattress rules.
Who these rules don't fit
The free county route is one resident, one ID, and small loads at a time. Landlords clearing a rental, families handling an estate, and multi-unit turnovers with several mattresses don't fit residents-only drop-off — which is where a paid haul comes in.
Sources
- City of Charleston — Mattress Recycling
- City of Charleston — Trash & Yard Waste Collection
- Charleston County Environmental Management — Convenience Centers (Zone 2)
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get rid of a mattress for free in Charleston?
Charleston County's staffed convenience centers accept mattresses and box springs in Zone 2 with no separate fee — but they're residents-only, requiring a government photo ID with a county address, under rules effective November 1, 2024.
Does the City of Charleston recycle mattresses?
Not through a city-funded program. The City's 2021 mattress-recycling pilot is no longer funded, and the City now points residents to BedShred, a private service that offers curbside mattress pickup for a small fee.
Can I put a mattress at the curb in the City of Charleston?
Yes — City of Charleston residents can set a mattress out at the curb on their collection day in its own separate pile. Curbside rules vary by municipality, so confirm your own town's mattress rules.
What if I have several mattresses or a rental turnover?
The free county route is one resident, one ID, and small loads at a time. Landlords, estates, and multi-unit cleanouts with several mattresses generally don't fit residents-only drop-off and become a paid haul.
How TRUKKIT fits
TRUKKIT is Charleston's own on-demand hauling and junk removal marketplace — a licensed property broker that connects you with vetted local TRUKKERs when a load is bigger than these resident and curbside rules allow. Most relevant TRUKKIT help: Charleston mattress removal. TRUKKIT LLC appears in FMCSA records as a property broker under USDOT #4556389, MC-01810359.