For the love of God, if you're going to dispose of your old mattress, please wrap it and put it in a plastic bag. It's the law. And it's definitely NOT ENOUGH to just spray paint "BUGS" on your wrapped disgusting mattress.
Scott Lynch spotted this mattress on 30th Avenue in Astoria. He said, "You could actually see them too, swarm-crawling all over the thing." Lynch avoided getting too close, because, you know, common sense/lack of a Hazmat suit, but even if it weren't bedbugs and they were just non-bedbug bugs, New Yorkers cannot do this. This is an affront to our fragile social contract that ensures that elderly and pregnant women get seats on the subway and all of us endure waiting on long lines civilly for Ramenburgers or Cronuts or other fads.
You must seal any mattress or box spring in a plastic bag before placing it out with regular garbage for bulk collection. This rule will help prevent the spread of bed bugs. If you do not dispose of mattresses or box springs properly, they will not be collected, and you may receive a $100 fine.
The City does not provide mattress or box spring bags or covers. You can get them at department stores, home improvement stores, and moving supply centers.
You can report uncovered mattresses or box springs put out for collection.
