Computer Recycling in Palo Alto
Palo Alto businesses and residents — recycle computers, laptops, and electronics the smart way. If it plugs in or runs on batteries, we’ll take it. Clear the clutter, protect the planet, and keep e-waste out of landfills. Start your responsible recycling journey today.
We are open from Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM.
(Closed on Major Holidays)
70,980
Business Customers
Served
411,345
Individual Customers
Served
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.
How Palo Alto Is Leading the Way in Sustainable E-Waste Recycling
Palo Alto has long been a pioneer in sustainability, with bold climate goals and a community deeply invested in environmental responsibility. Home to innovative startups, thriving local businesses, and over 68,000 environmentally conscious residents, the city is turning its vision of a low-carbon future into action.
Through its Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP), Palo Alto is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 1990 levels and achieving full carbon neutrality by 2030. As of 2022, the city had already cut emissions by 47%, showing measurable progress through practical programs and local engagement.
Electronics and computer recycling play a vital role in Palo Alto’s zero-waste strategy.
Residents and businesses actively participate in e-waste collection events, responsibly recycling laptops, desktop computers, and other devices that no longer serve their purpose. Certified recycling partners ensure that hazardous components are handled safely and valuable materials are recovered.
Palo Alto businesses are also stepping up, integrating electronics recycling into corporate sustainability plans. From tech firms to local retailers, outdated electronics are being diverted from landfills and processed through eco-friendly, state-compliant channels.
With the city enforcing California’s Electronic Waste Recycling Act and promoting community-based recycling practices, Palo Alto stands out as a leader in responsible e-waste management. Its commitment to sustainability, zero waste, and circular economy solutions makes it a model city for computer recycling done right.
GreenCitizen: Palo Alto’s Leader in Computer Recycling Since 2005
Since 2005, GreenCitizen has been the trusted choice for computer recycling in Palo Alto, helping both businesses and residents dispose of electronics the responsible way. We’ve served over 70,000 Bay Area businesses and 400,000 residents, keeping more than 32 million pounds of e-waste out of landfills.
GreenCitizen has had a long-standing presence in the Palo Alto area, with former drop-off centers at 3180 Park Blvd, Palo Alto, 94306 (just behind the old Fry’s Electronics Store), 161 Homer Ave, Palo Alto, 94301, in downtown Palo Alto, 4500 El Camino Real, Los Altos, 94022, and 2500 W El Camino Real, Suite D, Mountain View, 94040.
We now operate from our Burlingame EcoCenter—just drive up on 101 Freeway from Palo Alto—making it easy for residents to recycle laptops, desktops, and any electronic device that plugs in or runs on a battery.
For local businesses, we offer convenient electronics pickup services throughout Palo Alto and the greater Bay Area. Our proprietary GreenCitizen Total Accountability Management System (GTAMS) tracks every device from pickup to certified recycling, ensuring full compliance and peace of mind. We also provide secure, irrecoverable data destruction to protect your company’s sensitive information.
And here’s the best part: we offer free laptop and desktop computer recycling for qualified items. Palo Alto has always led on sustainability—join your neighbors in choosing a greener way to recycle.
Drop off your electronics or schedule a pickup today!
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.)
UPS Batteries
CD/DVDs
Cables/Cords
Toner/ Ink Cartridges
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)
Electronics Recycling Pickup for Palo Alto Startups and Tech Businesses
In the heart of Silicon Valley, startups and tech firms move fast—and so should your electronics recycling. GreenCitizen helps Palo Alto’s innovation-driven businesses responsibly recycle laptops, desktops, and IT equipment with full security, compliance, and zero operational disruption.
Designed for the Startup Pace
Whether you’re a five-person seed-stage team or scaling toward Series C, old devices stack up fast. GreenCitizen offers free pickup for eligible laptops and desktops, making tech recycling effortless for high-growth environments. Submit a quick request, and we’ll handle the pickup, tracking, and ethical recycling—so you can stay focused on shipping product, not sorting e-waste.
Serious About Data Security
In a world built on IP, we know that data protection is non-negotiable. Our NIST- and DoD-compliant data destruction process ensures hard drives and storage media are securely wiped before recycling—giving your team ironclad confidence.
Track Every Device with GTAMS
Through our exclusive GreenCitizen Total Accountability Management System (GTAMS), each major item receives a unique ID and is tracked from pickup to certified recycling. Perfect for compliance reports, audits, or simply knowing your devices aren’t ending up in the wrong place.
Ethically Recycled, Locally Processed
We partner only with R2 and e-Stewards certified recyclers—all based in the U.S.—to dismantle electronics responsibly here in the U.S., even if that means paying above the market rates. That means no exporting, no landfill dumping, and direct support for American green jobs.
Built for Palo Alto’s Green Vision
As Palo Alto pushes toward carbon neutrality, e-waste compliance isn’t just smart—it’s necessary. We help your company meet local, state, and federal recycling regulations while supporting your sustainability goals and ESG commitments.
Startups move fast. So should your recycling partner. Schedule a pickup today and check e-waste off your to-do list.
The team was right on time. They were thorough, efficient, and true professionals. I also appreciate you working us into your schedule at such short notice. Your follow up, and attention to detail and all was amazing. Green Citizen is our “Go To”, going forward.
I am very grateful. Thank you.
Thank you so much! I appreciate that you were able to accommodate my request for an earlier pick-up. You and everyone at GreenCitizen are always wonderful to work with.
The Morning Pick up at 9AM went VERY well and quick. Thanks for reaching out and hope to work with Green Citizen again in the near future!
Green Citizen is AWESOME!!! Thank you!
Drop Off Electronics in Palo Alto— Fast, Safe, and Eco-Friendly
In the city that launched the digital age, recycling your electronics should be just as smart as the tech you use. At GreenCitizen, we make it easy for Palo Alto residents to drop off old laptops, desktops, and devices that plug in or run on batteries—with full data protection and zero environmental compromise.
No appointment needed. Just swing by our Burlingame EcoCenter, a short drive from downtown Palo Alto.
How to Get There from Palo Alto
From Palo Alto, Take US-101 north to Millbrae exit, drive toward the Old Bayshore Highway, Turn right onto Old Bayshore Highway, and turn right at the next street at Cowan, then turn left into the first driveway. We are behind the building that has the 1831 Old Bayshore HWY address. (We are across from the popular restaurant, New England Lobster Market and Eatery.)
Pro tip: Plug “GreenCitizen, Inc.” into your GPS or Google Maps—it’ll take you straight to us.
We Take Privacy (and the Planet) Seriously
Every device you drop off is wiped using certified data destruction methods that meet NIST and DoD standards. That means your personal data never falls into the wrong hands.
And with our no-export policy, your electronics stay out of landfills and away from overseas dumping grounds. We recycle everything responsibly right here in the U.S., supporting a cleaner planet and circular economy.
Join thousands of Bay Area residents who are recycling the right way. Visit us today and be part of the smarter, greener future Palo Alto is known for.
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
- UPS batteries
- 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
LOVE the convenience of this fabulous recycling service in our community! anything we can do to keep Styrofoam and other unwanted electronic items out of our garbage is a blessing. I had a bunch of light fixtures that came in boxes with Styrofoam and I wasn’t sure what to do with them until I found Green Citizen. Right off the 101 and into their driveway for an easy drop off! The people working there are friendly and helpful too. I highly recommend this incredible business.
Awesome environmental conservation company helping to keep our landfills free of e-waste & non-biodegradable plastics. Needed to recycle two broken flatscreen televisions and two huge bags of styrofoam. GreenCitizen’s website was easy to navigate, clear as to what items they are able to take, and upfront about any fees on certain items. Drop-off was made easy by filling-out the online form prior to my visit. Staff was extremely helpful, attentive, and friendly. Fee for the amount of styrofoam I brought was very reasonable & well worth it knowing it will be recycled & repurposed. Fees for “non-free items” are far more reasonable than the green line station! I was in & out in 10 minutes. Great company doing great things for our environment! Overall great experience.
“HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I set up a new household a couple of years ago and could not bring myself to throw away all of the styrofoam packaging I accumulated. It’s been waiting in my garage patiently as I tried (mostly in vain) to find somewhere to recycle it. I just dropped a carload off at GreenCitizen for a very reasonable fee ($18) to support their operating costs. There was no waiting – I drove right through and their super helpful staff had it done in 5 minutes. WELL WORTH an annual or semi-annual treck from the East Bay for all my non-bin recycling needs.
Thank you GreenCitizen! You’re doing awesome work.”