If you’ve been holding onto an old guest bed in your garage because you didn't want to haul it all the way to the main landfill, your spring cleaning just got a lot easier.
As of this week, Lethbridge has officially expanded its Yard Waste Site program to include something definitely not made of wood or grass: mattresses and box springs.
Why the Change?
Usually, these sites are strictly for "green" materials branches, leaves, and lawn clippings. However, the City of Lethbridge is testing a new strategy to combat illegal dumping and make "bulky item" disposal more convenient for residents who already make regular trips to the three yard waste depots during the spring.
By allowing these large items at the neighborhood sites, the city hopes to see fewer mattresses abandoned in alleys or near communal bins, which has been a recurring headache for municipal cleanup crews.
What You Need to Know
Before you strap that old Serta to the roof of your Honda Civic, there are a few rules for the new program:
Operating Hours: The three sites (North, South, and West) are now on their full spring schedule, open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Residential Only: This service is for households, not commercial contractors.
Condition Matters: While they don't need to be pristine, the city asks that they be reasonably dry and manageable for the staff on site.
The Bigger Picture
This move coincides with the city’s broader spring "Litter Blitz" and the reopening of organic waste collection. It's a busy month for the Parks and Waste departments; between the new mattress program and the 12.9% provincial education tax hike hitting property owners this month, the city is under pressure to show that taxpayers are getting more tangible, convenient services for their dollar.
So, while you’re dropping off those winter-killed branches this weekend, you can finally say goodbye to that lumpy box spring, too.
Source
City of Lethbridge: News Release: Mattress disposal springing into action at yard waste sites (Published April 1, 2026)
