Computer Recycling in Hillsborough
Businesses and residents of Hillsborough — recycle your computers, laptops, and electronics the right way. If it plugs into the wall, we take it. Support responsible electronics recycling and keep toxic waste out of the environment. Recycle your devices today!
We are open from Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM. (Closed on Major Holidays)
74,559
Business Customers
Served
413,832
Individual Customers
Served
No appointment is needed for drop-off recycling. Just come to our Burlingame EcoCenter to recycle your computers and electronics.
Where to Find Us?
GreenCitizen, Inc.
1831 Old Bayshore Hwy Suite 2, Burlingame, CA 94010
- +16504938700 Extension 103
- info@greencitizen.com
Office Hours
Monday to Friday
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
(Closed on Major Holidays)
Closed on Holidays: New Year, President’s Day, Memorial Holiday, Independence day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the day after Christmas.
A Residential Community with a Track Record on Sustainability
Hillsborough is a residential town of approximately 11,000 residents situated on the San Francisco Peninsula, bordered by Burlingame to the north and San Mateo to the east. Unlike most Peninsula cities, Hillsborough has no commercial or industrial sector — it is exclusively a residential community, and civic life reflects that focus. With a highly educated population (over 80% of residents hold a bachelor’s degree or higher), a median household income exceeding $250,000, and one of the highest homeownership rates in California at over 93%, Hillsborough is a community with both the resources and the civic culture to act on its environmental values.
That civic culture has produced a meaningful sustainability record. The town’s Sustainable Hillsborough program was formally launched in 2007, following a City Council resolution to develop a comprehensive sustainability roadmap. Among its accomplishments, Hillsborough was the first jurisdiction in the Bay Area to approve a Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling program — requiring all demolition and building permit applicants to execute and adhere to a Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan.
Other active programs include a Community Solar Program that pools residents’ purchasing power for reduced-cost home solar installation, regular Free Compost Giveaway events, a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, an Environmental Preferable Purchasing Policy that directs the town to buy recycled and environmentally preferred products, and a Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance reducing single-use plastics.
On electronics specifically, the town has held e-waste recycling drop-off events in recognition of California’s ban on landfill disposal of electronics, batteries, and cell phones. Hillsborough also participates in the South Bayside Waste Management Authority (SBWMA), a joint powers authority of 12 San Mateo County agencies, collectively known as RethinkWaste, which manages residential recycling, organics collection, and strategic waste diversion programs across the region.
At the state level, California’s Electronic Waste Recycling Act makes it illegal to dispose of computers, monitors, and other electronics in the trash — reinforcing what Hillsborough’s sustainability programs already encourage locally.
GreenCitizen Helps Hillsborough Recycle Smarter
Hillsborough households turn over electronics regularly. Laptops get replaced, home offices get upgraded, and old monitors, phones, and tablets accumulate. When those devices aren’t disposed of through certified channels, the lead, mercury, and cadmium inside them become an environmental problem that no amount of local sustainability programming can offset.
GreenCitizen provides straightforward, certified computer recycling for Hillsborough residents — a short drive from home, with no appointment required and free recycling for qualifying items like laptops and desktops.
Since 2005, we’ve helped Bay Area residents and businesses divert tens of millions of pounds of electronics from landfills, with every item tracked and processed locally. Our Burlingame EcoCenter at 1831 Old Bayshore Hwy is just a few minutes north of Hillsborough — your closest certified drop-off option for responsible electronics disposal.
Every device we collect is processed through R2 and e-Stewards certified facilities in the United States. Nothing is exported. Nothing ends up in a landfill. For a community that has invested in formal sustainability programs for nearly two decades, that kind of documented, verifiable recycling is a natural fit.
Acceptable & Non-Acceptable Items for Electronics Recycling
Accepted
Laptops
Desktops
Servers
Monitors/ TVs
Networking Equipment
Tablets/ Smartphones
Computer Components (Hard Drives, Circuit Boards, Keyboards, etc.)
Office Electronics (Printers, Fax Machines, Paper Shredders, etc.)
Kitchen Appliances (Toasters, Blenders, Microwaves, etc.)
Stereo Equipment (DVD Players, VCRs, Receivers, etc.)
Styrofoam (#6 Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) ONLY)
Console Video Games (Xbox, PS3, Wii, etc.)
CD/DVDs
Cables/Cords
Toner/ Ink Cartridges
UPS Batteries (SLA Only)
Not Accepted
Bottles/ Cans
Furniture
Polyurethane
Large Appliances (Stoves, Washers, Dryers)
Non-Rechargeable Batteries (Alkaline, Carbon Zinc, Disposable Batteries)
Light Bulbs (Incandescent and Fluorescent Bulbs)
Items containing liquid mercury (Thermometers and Thermostats)
Smoke Detectors
Styrofoam #4 Low-Density Polyethylene foam (LDPE/PELD)
Hazardous Waste (Paint, Motor Oil, Sharps, Bio Hazardous Waste)
Medical Electronics (Bodily contact devices such as Glucose Sensors)
Simple Business Electronics Pickup Service For Hillsborough Businesses
Our Business Recycling Pickup service is built for organizations that need more than a basic drop-off option. We pick up qualifying electronics from your location, transport them responsibly, and process them through a documented recycling workflow.
Pickup for Hillsborough Organizations and Offices
If your organization is replacing laptops, clearing out desktops, retiring monitors, removing networking gear, or cleaning an IT storage room, we can help you plan the pickup.
To qualify for free business pickup, your inventory should include at least 5 qualifying items such as laptops, desktops, servers, networking equipment, LCD / LED monitors, phones, or tablets. Non-qualifying electronics can often be included in the same pickup, but some items may have recycling fees.
Fast Pickup Options for Time-Sensitive Cleanouts
Need equipment removed quickly?
- Same-Day Pickup — Request confirmation before 11:00 AM.
- Immediate Pickup — Pickup arranged within 24 hours.
These options are useful for office moves, storage cleanouts, IT refresh deadlines, property turnover, and equipment that needs to be removed before a scheduled renovation or workspace change.
Secure Data Destruction Options
Old business electronics often contain sensitive data. Laptops, desktops, servers, hard drives, phones, and tablets may hold customer records, employee files, financial information, credentials, or internal business documents.
GreenCitizen offers data destruction options aligned with recognized data security standards, including NIST SP 800-88 and DoD 5220.22-M compliant software-based wiping and physical hard drive destruction. Certificates and serialized reports are available when requested, giving your organization the documentation needed for internal records, vendor compliance, audits, and ESG reporting.
GTAMS Tracking for Better Accountability
With GTAMS, we track items through the recycling process and provide stronger visibility than a simple weight-only recycling receipt. For Hillsborough organizations that care about accountability, you can document what was collected, how it was handled, and how your electronics were kept out of landfills and irresponsible export channels.
Responsible U.S.-based Recycling
Your electronics should not disappear into an unknown downstream process. GreenCitizen works with responsible U.S.-based recycling channels, including R2 and e-Stewards certified downstream partners. This helps protect your organization from the risks of illegal export, landfill dumping, and unclear material handling.
Everything went great yesterday. Your guys were super professional and took care of everything for us. I’m sure that we will have more for you in the near future.
I have nothing but praise for their whole operation. From the easy to use website to even great, friendly pickup staff.
Your crew provides such a high level of service. It all went very smoothly!
Hillsborough Electronics Recycling Drop-Off — No Appointment, No Problem
Hillsborough has built a genuine sustainability record over the years — from its e-waste drop-off events to its RethinkWaste membership to being the first Bay Area city to mandate construction debris recycling. Responsible electronics disposal is one more piece of that picture, and GreenCitizen makes it easy to follow through.
Whether you’re clearing out a home office, replacing a family laptop, or finally getting rid of electronics that have been sitting in a closet for years, our Burlingame EcoCenter is just a short drive away. No appointment needed, and qualifying items including laptops and desktops recycle free of charge.
Getting Here from Hillsborough
Our Burlingame EcoCenter is approximately 10 minutes from Hillsborough.
Head north on El Camino Real toward Burlingame, then turn right onto Broadway. Follow Broadway east until you reach Old Bayshore Highway, then turn left. Continue to Cowan Road, turn right, then turn left into the first driveway. Look for 1831 Old Bayshore HWY, directly across from New England Lobster Market & Eatery. Parking is easy, and most drop-offs take just a few minutes.
Pro Tip: Enter “GreenCitizen, Inc.” into your GPS or Google Maps for the easiest route directly to our Burlingame EcoCenter.
Your Data Is Safe with Us
GreenCitizen provides NIST SP 800-88 and DoD 5220.22-M compliant data destruction — secure digital erasure or physical hard drive shredding — with formal certification for your records.
Note for Apple device owners: Before recycling any MacBook, iMac, or iPad, please sign out of your Apple ID, disable Find My, and remove Activation Lock. MacBook EFI, Device Enrollment Program, and Remote Management Locks must also be cleared before drop-off.
Certified, Local, and Landfill-Free
All electronics are processed through R2 and e-Stewards certified facilities in the United States. Valuable materials are responsibly recovered, and nothing is sent to overseas landfills or informal recycling operations.
For drop-off recycling, these are the items that are FREE to recycle and can be dropped off at the GreenCitizen Recycling Center/Eco Center in Burlingame.
Note: All Macbook EFi, Device Enrollment Program, and Remote Management Locks Must Be Removed
- Desktop computers
- Laptops
- Servers
- Tablets
- Monitors
- Network switches
- TVs
And here are the items that cost $1.00/pound to recycle.
- Cables/cords
- CD players and Walkmans
- Christmas lights
- DLP Projector TVs
- Fax machines
- Remote controls
- Heaters
- Ink/Toner
- Keyboards
- Microwaves
- Printers
- Miscellaneous electronics
- Scanners
- Stereo equipment
- VCRs
- DVD players
- Speakers
- Vacuum cleaners
- Fans
- Toasters
- Blenders
- Coffee makers
And here are the items that cost $6.00/pound to recycle.
- CDs
- Cassette tape
- Vinyl recycling
- DVDs
- Floppy disks
- VHS
- 35mm slides
- DLT/LTO
- Film negatives
It’s great to have such a well-run organization in our community to help us with all of our old electronics, especially laptops, which have sensitive information.
They were awesome. I was helping clean my mother in laws garage out. There was one tv that was literally falling apart. No problem here. We dropped off a couple tvs, a monitor, coffee machine, an old speaker, all for around 11 dollars. We rounded up to $15 to help them continue their excellent recycling service. They were friendly helpful and have a drive through. We are customers now! Good location as well.
The staff at Green Citizen were incredibly informative, helpful and courteous.The process of dropping off computers and hard drives for destruction was so quick and simple. They have an efficient set up. I highly recommend them and I will definitely be going back to them when I have additional items to recycle. It’s an impressive organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. GreenCitizen provides business electronics pickup for Hillsborough organizations, offices, schools, home-based businesses, property managers, contractors, and other qualifying business customers. Free pickup is available when the load includes at least 5 qualifying items.
Qualifying items include laptops, desktops, servers, enterprise networking equipment, LCD / LED monitors, phones, and tablets. Mixed electronics can usually be added to the pickup, but some non-qualifying items may have recycling fees.
Yes. Hillsborough residents can drop off electronics at our Burlingame EcoCenter without an appointment during regular business hours. The EcoCenter is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, except major holidays.
GreenCitizen’s Burlingame EcoCenter is very close to Hillsborough. Drive time depends on your starting point, but many Hillsborough residents can reach the EcoCenter in a short local drive through El Camino Real, Millbrae Avenue, and Old Bayshore Highway.
Many core electronics are free to recycle at drop-off, including laptops, desktops, servers, tablets, monitors, network switches, and TVs. Some electronics and media items have per-pound recycling fees.
Yes. GreenCitizen accepts monitors and TVs for recycling. California requires proper handling for covered electronic devices, and monitors and TVs should not be placed in the trash.
Yes. GreenCitizen offers data destruction services, including software-based data erasure and physical hard drive destruction. Certificates and serialized reports are available when requested.
No. GreenCitizen cannot accept loose batteries that are not installed in electronics. For battery disposal, Hillsborough residents should follow local battery collection guidance through the town and RethinkWaste.
Yes. Printers, scanners, cables, and many other office electronics are accepted at the Burlingame EcoCenter. These items typically cost $1.00 per pound to recycle.
GreenCitizen helps Hillsborough residents and organizations recycle electronics through a responsible, documented process. Our services reduce landfill disposal, support proper e-waste handling, provide data destruction options, and help businesses document recycling activity for sustainability and compliance needs.