More than 18,000 mattresses will be diverted from landfill under a new scheme which links disadvantaged jobseekers in with roles in Canberra's recycling industry.

Each worker employed with Soft Landing will slice, strip and dismantle about 45 discarded mattresses a day, in order to convert the territory's waste into wages.

Three in four positions will be provided to people who've experienced barriers to work, Transport and Municipal Services minister Meegan Fitzharris said.

"With approximately 18,000 mattresses disposed of each year, we will now be recycling around 200 tonnes of steel, 70 tonnes of foam and 200 tonnes of wood," she said.

The mattress springs will be refurnaced into steel by Bluescope, the foam will become carpet underlay through Dunlop and the felt goes into punching bags.

Only the pillow top will return to landfill although Bill Dibley, Soft Landings' national operations manager, said they're working with the University of New South Wales to find a way to repurpose it.

"We want to keep 100 per cent of mattresses out of landfill and create as many jobs along the way as possible," Mr Dibley said.

The initiative will create up to 25 jobs in the ACT over the next three years and there's even talk of recycling old lounges the same way.

Staff are paid full commercial wages – "We don't do subsidised employment," Mr Dibley said – and are provided with opportunities for further education and training.

Mr Dibley described it as a "great social and environmental outcome".

Adam Coles began with Soft Landings two weeks after he walked out of prison.

Four years later, he is managing a team of 25 guys working on a million-dollar project.

"My older brother is a leading hand at another warehouse and he told me they were looking for people so I came in and volunteered for a week," Mr Coles said.

"Then it turned into a casual job which turned into a traineeship which turned into a fixed-term contract which has now turned into a process leader on a permanent contract."

You can drop your old mattresses off to Soft Landing at the Hume Sheds on John Cory Circuit from 7.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday. Recycling costs $23 per mattress.

You can also arrange to have your mattress picked up from your home by calling 6260 1046. Collection and recycling costs $29.50 per mattress.