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July 14, 2011 - Thanks to opposition from the
International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) and
other manufacturing groups, the Rhode Island Legislature
adjourned last week without passing a bill that would
have required mattress manufacturers and retailers
operating there to participate in an “extended producer
responsibility” (EPR) program. An EPR program makes
manufacturers responsible for funding and operating a
system for collecting and disposing of consumer products
at the end of their useful lives. The Rhode Island
legislation that died last week would have required the
mattress industry to develop such an EPR program
specifically for mattresses discarded in that state.
“This is a significant victory for our industry,”
noted ISPA President Ryan Trainer. “ISPA supports
efforts to promote the proper disposal of used
mattresses, but the Rhode Island legislation would have
set a bad precedent. ISPA believes that used mattress
recycling efforts must develop and evolve on their own
without the interference of costly and impractical state
mandates.”
ISPA provided testimony opposing the bill and met
with influential legislators and agency staff to educate
them on the economic harm that legislation like this
would have caused mattress manufacturers and retailers.
To help defeat the legislation, ISPA also enlisted the
assistance of its members, mattress retailers and other
industries that manufacture consumer products targeted
by EPR efforts like this in other states.
Established in 1915, the International Sleep Products
Association (ISPA) is dedicated to protecting and
enhancing the growth, profitability and stature of the
mattress industry. As the industry’s trade organization,
ISPA represents over 600 mattress manufacturers and
suppliers throughout the world.
ISPA provides a wide range of services that benefit
its membership. These include exclusive industry surveys
and statistics, advocacy support, educational offerings,
the industry’s ISPA EXPO trade show, safety research
through its Sleep Products Safety Council, consumer
research and education through its Better Sleep Council,
BedTimes and Sleep Savvy publications, the ISPAEarth™
Industry Sustainability Initiative, and more.
To learn more, visit
www.sleepproducts.org or contact
info@sleepproducts.org. |
