Another West Seattle mattress mystery: Alley aggravation

| Environment | West Seattle news

Last weekend, an illegally dumped mattress/box spring set was the discovery that puzzled Fairmount Ravine cleanup volunteers the most. This morning, mattresses materialized on the other side of West Seattle, according to the photo and report shared by Pete:

Woke up to find a truckload of mattresses and box springs dumped & blocking the alley between 13th & 14th on the south side of SW Holden Street (aka West Seattle’s Worst Alley). Report filed with the city.

Here’s how to report illegal dumping.

Michael March 25, 2011 (1:11 am)

People who can’t afford/refuse to pay for proper disposal are constantly leaving “free” mattresses/sofas (usually heavy hide-a-beds), particleboard furniture and CRT TVs by the side of the road (a reasonable distance from where they actually LIVE, of course).
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Drive Genessee between Delridge and Avalon, and take a turn up 30th and you’ll generally see a few items on any given day. I’ve watched nearby buildings play “it’s yours – no, it’s yours,” pushing stuff back and forth before the city finally picks up (at everyone’s expense).

Robindianne March 25, 2011 (7:04 am)

We have a couch and a mattress left by someone months ago in the ally. It’s becoming a land fill.

Joseph March 25, 2011 (7:37 am)

When I was growing up back East , we use to have 2 times a year what was called Bulk Collection. Maybe that might help people get ride of this stuff instead of leaving it in the streets. People always leave stuff on Kenya , behind my complex.

datamuse March 25, 2011 (7:53 am)

There were a bunch of mattresses dumped along 9th Avenue recently as well, in front of that complex down near Henderson on the eastern side of the street. If they’re still there when I go running next I’ll report them.

Bill March 25, 2011 (7:54 am)

Wasn’t there a recent new West Seattle business attempt that wanted old beds for the innards? The idea was to “refit” the mattresses’ frameworks with new materials. It was to be a recycling effort that would have given old beds new life.

If no agency wants to deal with old beds, are we to become eventually buried in these?

They’re a constant problem at multifamily housing complexes where there’s a relatively high turnover of residents. Surely, the building owners shouldn’t bare the expense of repeated trips to the landfill. And people moving out usually don’t have the truck needed to be hauling bulky items to the landfill themselves. Is it any wonder the problem is privately “solved” with clandestine methods?

It’s a problem the city needs to address; as it is, they’ve thrown the home furnishings disposal issue back in the face of the citizens. Is that any way to run a municipality — to ignore collective responsibility?

Concerned Citizen March 25, 2011 (7:58 am)

Holden from 35th to Highland Park Drive Alley’s and side of the road is a garbage dump quite frequently! Maybe it’s time to put camera’s up … sure “Big Brother is Watching” … People need to be responsible for their own trash! Don’t buy so much and you won’t have so much trash!!!

Maybe March 25, 2011 (7:58 am)

I’m trying to see the silver liining here (ok, with a little tarnish). Maybe we can smile in thinking that the losers dumping these mattresses haven’t upgraded to a new ultra pillow top, but are actually moving away…the silver lining. Yay!!

jsrekd March 25, 2011 (8:06 am)

quoting Bill – “It’s a problem the city needs to address; as it is, they’ve thrown the home furnishings disposal issue back in the face of the citizens. Is that any way to run a municipality — to ignore collective responsibility?”

Tell me how it’s the city’s responsibility to clean up my garbage???

patti March 25, 2011 (8:15 am)

I think when people are evicted the landlord/manager puts the stuff on the street that has been left behind. Maybe this needs to be changed!

2 Much Whine March 25, 2011 (8:42 am)

I’ve lived five decades and in all that time never found the need to dump a matress somewhere other than the dump. Why would I expect to depend on the city for that?

Nulu March 25, 2011 (8:52 am)

Garbage clean up may not be in the city charter, but it is the city’s responsibility to provide services.
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The city could largely solve this problem by providing free large item pick up. Pick ups could be supported by a suggested donation on the next bill and the reduction of the inefficient and costly illegal pick ups the city now does.
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Seattle has tightened regulations on what is allowed in the garbage while steeply increasing the cost, all while reducing the size of garbage containers.
I hope illegal dumpers are not aware that the city will already pick up these items (for a fee).
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People have had confusion and convenient excuses about garbage disposal well before the popularity of the long version of “Alice’s Restaurant.”
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Finally I can’t shake the vague memory of a junior-high joke involving “time of the month” and elephants.

Enid March 25, 2011 (9:00 am)

Just think of the DNA evidence on those old mattresses. Or not.

Jiggers March 25, 2011 (9:15 am)

I’m surprised that the homeless didn’t find those yet.

MLJ March 25, 2011 (9:55 am)

I’m offended. I thought I had the worst alley behind my house.

JOE T. March 25, 2011 (10:06 am)

Well the City charges $20 bucks to just drive into the dump in S. Park.

It is FREE in Tacoma…..

JOE T. March 25, 2011 (10:08 am)

Another thing !

“Oh NO, Not in WEST SEATTLE.”

Delridge Denizen March 25, 2011 (10:36 am)

Maybe we could build Fort Serta.

Scott March 25, 2011 (12:28 pm)

Seattle used to have the a yearly pickup for old appliances and whatever junk people wanted to get rid of. City said it was too expensive. Anyone think picking up mattresses (etc) piece-meal is saving any money? It’s certainly not helping maintain the community.

Rod Pfannenstiel March 25, 2011 (1:13 pm)

We take and recycle mattresses nationwide.

Landfills hate Mattresses, they don’t compact, the metal springs wrap around the equipment!

Call us

We are listed as a reycler on the King County Web site!

888 266-4425
Nationwidemattressrecycling.com

Concerned Citizen March 25, 2011 (1:15 pm)

Seattle only had a yearly pickup for “junk” in certain neighborhoods where it was considered lower income areas. So it has never been in an all over “Seattle” pickup. (I’ve lived in a middle class neighborhood for over 65 years!) Never had any thing picked up for free! … oh yeah, the Salvation Army used to pick up unwanted usable items!

Pete March 25, 2011 (1:48 pm)

The city sent out a team and picked up all the mattresses just a few hours after I called it in. I’d like to thank them for their prompt response.

Also, boo to the jerks who were too lazy to properly dispose of their garbage.

Paul Careau March 25, 2011 (2:02 pm)

We should suggest setting them up with recycling trailers at their transfer station and try and talk them into a pilot program.

As one of the bloggers suggested, they go back to a couple of bulky waste days a year. We do that now with the Town of Concord, Massachusetts. They have us and other recyclers set up trailers and roll-off and they accept just about anything people want to drop off. They charge a small fee to the residence and we charge normal recycling fees for the materials we contract with them to handle. It works great. When people have a reasonable alternative that isn’t crazy expensive they use it.

Paul C.