A bedbug infested mattress is not a typical bulky item. Moving it poorly can spread the problem to the hallway, the elevator and the neighbours. Leaving it on the curb is riskier. Here is what health and city guidance covers about handling it.
Contain it before you move it
Vancouver Coastal Health's bedbug page lists a few steps for infested items:
- Bag infested items in sealed bags. Moving companies often have mattress bags.
- Do not drag infested mattresses or furniture through hallways.
- Mark discarded furniture "bed bug infested" or make it unusable.
- Do not give away or sell infested items.
The same page says some items, such as fabric furniture, may have to be discarded if there is a heavy infestation. Ask your pest control technician before you decide what to throw out.
Do not leave it on the curb
Leaving a mattress at the curb without a booked pickup can count as illegal dumping. Surrey says items placed at curbside without a scheduled pickup may be considered illegally dumped and are subject to fines. Metro Vancouver's illegal dumping page lists disposal options by city.
Pickup programs
City pickup programs ask for sealed plastic. Richmond's page says mattresses and box springs must be dry, wrapped in plastic and sealed with tape, and must also be free of bed bugs to be accepted for recycling at the facility. Surrey requires mattresses to be individually wrapped and sealed in a clear plastic bag, and it offers free mattress bags to residents who have a service request number. Because Richmond requires mattresses to be free of bedbugs, ask your city before you book a pickup for an infested one.
Drop off sites
Metro Vancouver's solid waste facilities accept mattresses for a fee. Call the site, tell the attendant that the mattress is infested and ask how they want it delivered. See our mattresses and bulky items guide for how city programs and facilities compare.
Where a bin fits
Bedbug items do not go in our bins, even sealed in plastic. Use your city's program or a Metro Vancouver facility, and call ahead. For the rest of a cleanout, a 20-yard bin is the common start, and mattresses and box springs carry an extra fee that we mention when you book. The bin comes from us, you load it, and we collect it when it is full. See our household garbage page.
FAQ
How should I dispose of a bedbug mattress? Vancouver Coastal Health says to discard infested items in sealed bags and not to drag them through hallways.
Can I donate a mattress with bedbugs? No. Vancouver Coastal Health says do not give away or sell infested items.
Can I put it out for city large item pickup? Richmond says mattresses must be free of bed bugs to be accepted for recycling. Ask your city first.
Can I put it in a Trash King bin? No. Bedbug items do not go in our bins.