Mattress Disposal in Zurich: Free, Cheap or Picked Up?

Anyone leaving a flat in Kreis 5 (Industriequartier district) with a double mattress, a box spring and a handover date a few days away needs a plan. If you need mattress disposal in Zurich, you have five options. Only one is free, and it means carrying the mattress yourself.

Household waste counts as municipal waste (Siedlungsabfälle) under the Verordnung über die Vermeidung und die Entsorgung von Abfällen (VVEA), the Swiss waste ordinance. Under the Umweltschutzgesetz (USG), the Federal Act on the Protection of the Environment, the cantons are responsible, and in practice the municipalities. 

This guide shows what each option costs, how much lead time it needs and when pickup from your flat pays off. Status: October 2026. The Mobile Recycling Centre is replacing the Entsorgungstram (cargo tram), which made its last run on 20 October 2026.

You can dispose of a mattress in Zurich for free at the ERZ Mobile Recycling Centre, for a weight-based fee at a recycling centre, through the paid ERZ pickup service, by passing it on, or with pickup from your flat. Only the Mobile Recycling Centre is free, and you carry the mattress yourself. Choose by floor, deadline and condition.

Mattress Disposal in Zurich: What Counts as Bulky Waste?

A mattress counts as Sperrgut (bulky waste) in Zurich because it does not fit into the Züri-Sack, the official city rubbish bag. ERZ advises taking bulky waste to a recycling centre or the Mobile Recycling Centre. Source: City of Zurich, bulky waste.

For the ERZ pickup service, no single piece may be longer than 2.5 m or heavier than 40 kg. Our guide to what counts as bulky waste covers other items. Source: City of Zurich, bulky waste collection.

A single mattress is usually light enough to carry. A box spring bed is different: base, mattress and topper must be carried separately. Slatted frames also count as bulky waste.

Adjustable beds and heated mattress pads contain electrical parts. These come under the Verordnung über die Rückgabe, die Rücknahme und die Entsorgung elektrischer und elektronischer Geräte (VREG), so check how it applies. See electronic waste disposal.

Free, Cheap or Picked Up: Five Options Compared

Only the Mobile Recycling Centre is free, the recycling centre is cheap if the load is light, and only a pickup from your flat takes the carrying off your hands. The table compares all five options.

Option	Cost	Lead time	Who carries	Best if
1. Mobile Recycling Centre (ERZ)	Free	Check location and date; usually every five weeks for four hours per stop	You, on foot, without a car	A stop is nearby and you have a helper
2. Recycling centre Werdhölzli or Looächer	CHF 22.70 for the first 100 kg, CHF 19.45 per further 100 kg (2024 rates)	None, but check opening hours	You, with your own transport	You have a car or van
3. ERZ pickup service	CHF 86.50 per quarter hour of loading time	3 working days recommended, Monday to Friday only	You, down to the pavement	You can carry the mattress out yourself
4. Pass it on or retailer take-back	Depends on the retailer or taker	Ask in advance	The taker or you	The mattress is clean, dry and in good condition
5. Pickup from your flat (Disposal.ch)	Fixed price after your photos	Same or next day in most cases, seven days a week	Our team, from any floor	No lift, box spring or a tight deadline

The city fees come from the City of Zurich media release of September 2024 and may have changed. Check the current rate with ERZ before you book.

The First Four Options in Detail: What to Know

Option 1: Mobile Recycling Centre, free and car-free

The Mobile Recycling Centre accepts bulky waste, metal and electrical appliances free of charge. According to ERZ, it usually stops at each location every five weeks for four hours. It is designed for visitors on foot, so you carry the mattress there.

There are 31 locations today, and 33 are planned from early 2027. A double mattress is awkward to carry, so bring a second person. Source: City of Zurich media release, October 2026.

Option 2: Recycling centres Werdhölzli and Looächer, fee by weight

The two city recycling centres (Recyclinghöfe) charge by weight. According to the City of Zurich, the fee was CHF 22.70 for the first 100 kg and CHF 19.45 for each further 100 kg of bulky waste, metal and pit waste, including VAT.

The free vouchers for 400 kg no longer exist. The 2024 vouchers were valid until the end of April 2025. Read more in bulky waste rules after the free vouchers ended.

Option 3: ERZ pickup service, convenient but conditional

ERZ collects bulky waste from Monday to Friday. You can only order by phone, and ERZ recommends three working days of notice. On collection day, the mattress must lie clearly visible on the pavement before 7 am.

You may put it out the evening before and stay responsible until it is collected. Loading time is limited to 60 minutes per day and location. Free cancellation is possible until 12:00 on the previous working day. See collection dates.

Option 4: Pass it on or ask the retailer

Many organisations do not accept used mattresses for hygiene reasons, so send a photo and ask first. When you buy a new mattress, some retailers take the old one back. The retailer sets the conditions and the price.

Our principle is Spende zuerst, Transport danach (donate first, transport second): we check every pickup for items that can be passed on.

What Does Mattress Disposal in Zurich Really Cost?

The cost depends less on the mattress itself than on floor, access and route. ERZ prices by loading time or weight. The Mobile Recycling Centre has no fee, but you carry and transport the mattress yourself.

With Disposal.ch you receive a fixed price after sending photos, and you know it before the appointment. We give no CHF range here, because a fair price needs photos.

Cost factor	Why it matters
Floor and lift	A fourth-floor flat without a lift means far more carrying than a ground-floor bedroom.
Number and size	A double mattress or several beds take more time than a single mattress.
Box spring	Base, mattress and topper are taken apart and carried separately.
Slatted frame and topper	Extra parts add volume and effort.
Disposal route	Mattress, metal and wood go through separate routes.
Time pressure	Same-day or weekend pickup needs more planning than an appointment in two weeks.

 

Send a photo of the mattress, the floor number and a note on whether a box spring or slatted frame is included. This usually lets us confirm a fixed price within an hour.

Step by Step: Getting Your Mattress Ready

Five steps get a mattress out of your flat without stress.

1.       Check the condition: If the mattress is clean and dry, ask a retailer or a taker first. Wet or mouldy mattresses are a special case, see below.

2.       List all parts: Note the size, the number of mattresses and extras such as a slatted frame, topper or box spring base. Check for electrical parts.

3.       Choose an option: Compare the table above by cost, lead time and effort. Treat your handover date as the fixed deadline.

4.       Secure an appointment: Phone ERZ, or send photos via WhatsApp to +41 76 413 61 83 for a fixed price. Mention the floor, lift and preferred date.

5.       Prepare the mattress: Strip the bed and keep the mattress dry. Keep the stairwell and entrance clear. For ERZ, it must be on the pavement before 7 am.

When to Call a Professional: Box Springs, Old Buildings and Deadlines

Pickup from your flat makes most sense with a box spring, a building without a lift or a tight deadline.

Before the Wohnungsabgabe (move-out handover with your property manager), the flat usually has to be besenrein (broom-clean). Your property manager sets the requirements. For tenancy law questions, ask them or a legal adviser. End-of-tenancy cleaning is a separate service that you can book on its own.

If the mattress is part of a bigger clear-out, one visit for bulky item disposal, a sofa or a full apartment clearance is often simpler than several routes.

We do not collect asbestos-containing materials, active chemicals and gases, or certain contaminated materials. These require a licensed specialist company. For wet, heavily soiled or mouldy mattresses, please ask us before booking.

Disposal.ch in Zurich: Pickup From Your Flat at a Fixed Price

Disposal.ch collects your mattress from your flat, from any floor, with or without a lift, at a fixed price you know before the appointment. Send photos via WhatsApp, and you usually receive your quote within an hour.

Pickup is possible on the same or next day in most cases, seven days a week, including evenings and weekends. Our team is bilingual in German and English, which helps if you are new to Swiss waste rules. The team is insured.

We serve all 12 city districts (Kreise) of Zurich, for example Kreis 5 (Industriequartier district) and Kreis 9 (Albisrieden district). We also cover Winterthur, Uster, Dübendorf, Schlieren, Dietikon, Kloten, Bülach, Horgen, Thalwil and Küsnacht, plus Aargau, Luzern and Zug.

Disposal.ch is a pickup and transport service. We do not operate our own recycling plant. We deliver your items to certified partners.

Conclusion

There is no single best way to dispose of a mattress in Zurich. The Mobile Recycling Centre is free but needs carrying, while the recycling centre and ERZ pickup need your own effort and lead time.

With a tight deadline, a building without a lift or a box spring bed, pickup from your flat saves time and effort. Questions about mattress disposal in Zurich? Send us photos via WhatsApp and get a no-obligation quote.

The information in this article is for general guidance. Rules and fees can differ by municipality and canton and may change. Please check with your local authority before disposing, or ask us.

 

Disposal.ch collects seven days a week in Zurich, Aargau, Luzern and Zug. Send photos via WhatsApp to +41 76 413 61 83 and you usually get a fixed price within one hour. No obligation.

Request a quote  |  Send photos via WhatsApp

Kind regards, The Disposal.ch Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Which rule applies to mattress disposal in Zurich?

A mattress counts as municipal waste under the Verordnung über die Vermeidung und die Entsorgung von Abfällen (VVEA). The Umweltschutzgesetz (USG) makes the cantons responsible, and in the city of Zurich, Entsorgung + Recycling Zürich (ERZ) runs the collection. ERZ pickups accept single pieces up to 2.5 m in length and 40 kg.

How much does it cost to dispose of a mattress in Zurich?

It depends on the route. The Mobile Recycling Centre is free, a recycling centre charged CHF 22.70 for the first 100 kg according to the City of Zurich, and ERZ pickup costs CHF 86.50 per quarter hour of loading time. Disposal.ch gives a fixed price after your photos, based on floor, access and dismantling.

How fast can pickup happen?

With Disposal.ch, pickup is possible on the same or next day in most cases, seven days a week. You usually receive a fixed price within one hour of sending photos. The ERZ pickup service runs Monday to Friday only and recommends three working days of notice.

Do you serve Winterthur or Aargau?

Yes. Disposal.ch collects in all 12 city districts of Zurich, as well as Winterthur, Uster, Dübendorf, Schlieren, Dietikon, Kloten, Bülach, Horgen, Thalwil and Küsnacht, plus the cantons of Aargau, Luzern and Zug. Send your postcode via WhatsApp and we will confirm the visit.

What can you not collect?

We do not collect asbestos-containing materials, active chemicals and gases, or certain contaminated materials. These require a licensed specialist company. For wet, heavily soiled or mouldy mattresses, please ask us before booking, and we will check the individual case together with you. Just send a photo.