ISPA submitted public comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of advanced recycling. Specifically, EPA requested feedback on whether it should revise the definition of “municipal waste combustion unit” included in the other solid waste incinerators (OSWI) rules to remove “pyrolysis/combustion units.” ISPA believes that advanced recycling technologies, like pyrolysis, should be clearly distinguished from solid waste incineration.

Advanced recycling refers to a suite of technologies that break down used plastics into their original components to remanufacture them into new products. Advanced recycling methods are critical to expanding recycling rates and creating new secondary markets for certain materials used in the mattress industry.

ISPA and MRC actively research innovations to address secondary market challenges associated with hard-to-recycle mattress components, specifically foam and textiles. ISPA’s comments discuss how advanced recycling methods could improve recycling rates and create new secondary markets for certain materials used in the mattress industry, such as post-consumer polyurethane foam.