GreenCitizen exists to solve the e-waste crisis and the global dumping of electronics. E-waste is the world's fastest-growing waste stream — 62 million tons in 2022, with barely 22% recycled — and much of what's collected is exported to developing countries and burned or acid-stripped, poisoning local communities. GreenCitizen breaks that cycle by tracking every item through our GTAMS chain of custody and processing everything with certified vendors inside the United States, so nothing is dumped or shipped overseas.

There are three ways to recycle with GreenCitizen. Residents and businesses can use the no-appointment drive-thru drop-off at our Burlingame EcoCenter (Mon–Fri, 10 AM–6 PM). Businesses can schedule an on-site pickup within a 35-mile radius of the EcoCenter — free when your inventory includes 5 or more qualifying items, with Same-Day (request before 11 AM) and Immediate (within 24 hours) options available. And anyone outside the Bay Area can use our nationwide mail-in recycling service.

We use the same standards-backed methods for individuals and enterprises, aligned with DoD 5220.22-M and NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1. You can choose software-based data erasure for reusable drives ($5/drive) or physical destruction that crushes/shreds the drive for full unrecoverability ($20/drive); if a drive can't be securely erased, we upgrade it to physical destruction at no extra charge. A Certificate of Destruction listing serial numbers and methods is available for an additional $5/unit, and we also destroy phones/tablets ($35/device) and media tapes.

Every major item is scanned into our proprietary GreenCitizen Total Accountability Management System (GTAMS) at intake, creating a digital chain of custody from drop-off or pickup through final processing. Working devices are tested and refurbished for reuse first; the rest is processed by R2- and e-Stewards-certified vendors, all based in the United States. Nothing we collect is sent to a landfill or exported overseas, and businesses can request audit-ready ESG reporting showing weight diverted and material recovery.

We accept most electronics, including desktops, laptops, servers, monitors, TVs, tablets, phones, networking gear, computer components, cables, printers, small appliances, stereo equipment, and #6 EPS Styrofoam. We cannot accept loose batteries that aren't installed in a device, single-use/non-rechargeable batteries, light bulbs, mercury-containing items (thermometers, thermostats), smoke detectors, large appliances, furniture, or hazardous waste. For anything we don't take, our Green Directory helps you find a local drop-off by ZIP code.

All laptops, desktops, servers, monitors, TVs, tablets, phones, and network switches are recycled free at our Burlingame EcoCenter. Some peripheral and consumer items carry a fee — about $1.00/lb for things like printers, keyboards, cables, and small appliances, and $6.00/lb for media like CDs, DVDs, VHS, cassettes, and floppy disks. Any applicable fees are always confirmed with you before processing begins.

GreenCitizen serves the entire San Francisco Bay Area from our Burlingame EcoCenter at 1831 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 2, Burlingame, CA 94010 (near SFO), open Mon–Fri, 10 AM–6 PM. Drive-thru drop-off is open to everyone with no appointment, and we offer business pickups within a 35-mile radius (covering San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, and the Peninsula). Outside that radius or the Bay Area? Use our nationwide mail-in service, or call (650) 493-8700 to discuss custom arrangements.

Yes. GreenCitizen supports business compliance at every step. We can provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) for commercial building pickups — just share your property manager's requirements when scheduling. Every qualifying asset is serialized and tracked through our GTAMS chain of custody, and Certificates of Destruction (listing serial numbers and methods) are available for data-wiped or physically destroyed drives. For sustainability and ESG reporting, GTAMS generates audit-ready documentation. A Detailed Certified Report is available for $5/device.