I live in an apartment complex and I called the office to ask whether the trash collectors would take a mattress and box springs for a fee. I was told as long as it fits IN the dumpster, they will take it, for no fee. My Cal King box springs are too long so I tore one of them apart tonight. That was fun and educational. A foundation is a fairly remarkable item - it looks good and does it's job, with a minimum of materials. The shame is, mine really were perfectly fine, but I just don't need them any more and didn't think anyone would take them as they and the mattress are 13 years old.

I will take the mattress apart tomorrow. It would actually fit in the bin, but it would fill it up and that would be rude. Besides, I want to do an autopsy on it anyway, to see what's inside and how it's constructed, and see how compressed the layers of foam and fiber are. Here again, from all outward appearances it's a great mattress. No signs of impressions and no stains. Heck, it looks almost brand new. But if mattress years are like dog years, then this mattress is 91 years old and so out it goes, into the landfill.

I hope and expect to never again have to dispose of a complete mattress. About all I foresee doing is replacing a layer of foam, maybe one of the top two 1" layers.